Summer has finally arrived in Victoria, just in time for Christmas.
Casting aside a chilly start to the season, temperatures are expected to get to 26 degrees for Christmas Day, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
But senior meteorologist Ilana Cherny said that after a sunny weekend, showers and cooler temperatures would return.
“We are seeing a trough pass through the state [on Thursday] which may bring some showers and a possible storm to Melbourne as well, so a top of 27 degrees and there will possibly be some wet weather following that,” she said.
The last time Melbourne experienced a Christmas Day above 30 degrees was in 2016, when the mercury soared to a steamy 36.3 degrees.
Melbourne could expect a top of 23 degrees for Friday and Christmas Eve, she said.
Kids enjoy the return to summer weather at Frankston beach with more warm temperatures on the way.Credit:Joe Armao
“Things are starting to warm up by the time it gets to Christmas Day with a top of 26 degrees, potentially a little bit of cloud in the morning and then clearing up to a sunny afternoon,” Cherny said.
The good weather will continue into Boxing Day, with a top of 31 degrees expected for the city.
“That’s likely to last until next Tuesday, and then we can expect to see another trough move across the state next week, but there’s still a bit of uncertainty around that,” the forecaster said.
The warm weather will extend around the state for those heading out of the city for Christmas.
Mildura and Swan Hill are expected to be the hottest with temperatures tipped to hit 35 degrees.
Down the coast, it will be cooler and milder with Warrnambool and Lakes Entrance to hit 22 degrees on Sunday.
“Elsewhere in the south and a bit further inland it will be getting in the 30s for northern parts,” Cherny said.
The forecast into the new year is harder to predict, but the pattern for summer so far would suggest a series of more settled days followed by showers or cooler conditions.
“We can see these slow-moving systems which allow the heat to build and then we see days getting gradually warmer until our next trough or system passes …with some cooler weather or showers to follow,” she said.
It’s a far cry from early in the month, with hail, single-digit temperatures and even snow in the alpine region.
The coldest Christmas Day in Melbourne was in 2006, when the temperatures fell to 14.5 degrees, and there was snow in alpine areas.
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