Victoria is sweltering through a second consecutive day of extreme heat, as a cool change is not expected to make its way across the state until late on Sunday.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Joanna Hewes said the mercury was expected to reach 38 degrees in Melbourne on Sunday, and up to 40 degrees in the city’s northern suburbs.
Melbourne is sweltering through another hot summer day.Credit: Eddie Jim
A severe heatwave warning from the Bureau of Meteorology remains in place for East Gippsland and the West and South Gippsland districts, while a northerly wind will keep temperatures high for most of the day.
“We’ve got a cool change making its way across the state that’s expected to reach western Victoria late this afternoon or into early this evening, and then progress eastward, probably reaching Melbourne after midnight,” she said.
Hewes said a rain band is expected to make its way across the state on Monday, bringing two to nine millimetres of rain and a top of 22 degrees in the city.
State Control Centre spokeswoman Reegan Key said gusty winds would make conditions tricky for firefighters.
A total fire ban remains in place on Sunday for central Victoria, including Melbourne and Geelong, and in the Mallee, Wimmera, North Central and South West districts. The fire danger remains high for the rest of the state, and the Grampians National Park bushfire that has burnt 76,000 hectares and destroyed several homes is yet to be brought under control.
State response controller Jason Heffernan said it was a busy start to the season, and urged Victorians to do their bit in hot and dry conditions in which a blaze could quickly spread out of control.
Read the full article here
