Mercury set to rise in Melbourne, with a scorcher predicted for Sunday

The mercury is set to rise in Victoria in coming days, peaking to the mid-40s in some parts. Here’s the forecast for where you live.

Victoria is expected to heat up over the coming days with the mercury set to soar into the 40s for a three-day stretch across the state’s north.

The mercury will peak at 38C in Melbourne on Sunday, but temperatures in the 40s are forecast across northern Victoria on Saturday through to Monday, the Bureau of Meteorology predicts.

Victorians are also being urged to prepare for a spike in severe fire weather days as severe heatwave conditions are expected across much of the state over the weekend and on Monday, with possible extreme heatwave conditions in the state’s east and northeast.

But the hot conditions will be crudely cut short in time for Australia Day when temperatures plunge by half and rain falls in some suburbs.

The warm weather begins on Thursday, with a sunny top of 31C in Melbourne and 30C or higher expected across most of the state.

The northwest will be hottest, with Mildura, Ouyen and Swan Hill to hover about 37-38C, meteorologist Dean Narramore says.

On Friday, temperatures will cool along the coast, but the mercury will continue climbing across northern Victoria, with locations along the Murray River peaking at 40C.

“We’re expecting the 40s right across northern Victoria on Saturday, Sunday and Monday and western parts of Victoria on Sunday,” Mr Narramore says.

“That’s likely the hottest day across all of the state.”

Hot weather is predicted in Melbourne on Sunday. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Crosling

A top of 45C is forecast on Sunday at Mildura, 44C at Horsham, and 24C at Bendigo.

While Melbourne is predicted to reach 38C, it may get hotter in the northern suburbs with Tullamarine likely to reach 42C, and 41C in Yarra Glen, Melton and Scoresby.

“Northern, outer northern and eastern suburbs will get into the 40s but it will be the high 30s to near 40s for bayside suburbs and the city itself,” Mr Narramore says.

“Pretty much statewide Sunday we’ll see temperatures in the 40s for almost all of the state except for right on the coast.”

A cold front expected on Monday will bring a cool change through the afternoon and evening, along with rain in time for Australia Day, with the temperature set to plunge 21C in some areas, such as Scoresby in Melbourne’s east.

“Australia Day is going to be a lot cooler, up to 20 degrees colder than Sunday for many locations,” Mr Narramore says.

“For instance, Scoresby is 41 on Sunday and 20 on Australia Day — that’s a 21-degree difference over two days.

“It will be like an absolutely scorching summer on Sunday for much of the state but by the time you get to Australia Day for the barbecues and cricket, temperatures are going to probably feel close to late Autumn with only around 20 degrees and showers and some fresh southerly winds.”

The forecast hot conditions will also bring fire danger. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ David Crosling

SEVERE FIRE CONDITIONS EXPECTED

Emergency management commissioner Andrew Crisp has warned the hot spell will bring some of the worst fire conditions so far this summer.

Mr Crisp said total fire ban days were likely to be issued for Sunday and Monday.

“It will be a challenging weekend for us,” Mr Crisp said.

“This is definitely up there in terms of spike days that we’ve seen over this particular summer.

“The fact that we’re likely to get Sunday and Monday, we’ve had other days where we’ve had some hot weather but we haven’t had a follow-up with it with the second day.

“We are very focused on this weekend but we want individuals and families to be equally as focused as we are.”

Mr Crisp said a state control team meeting on Wednesday was held to plan for the weekend ahead and authorities were in talks with NSW to see if “additional coverage” may be possible.

He said it was never too late for Victorians to prepare their properties for fire.

“Have you cleaned up, have you cut your grass, have you moved your wood pile from winter, cleaning out your gutters, have you developed your plan — simple things that you can do,” he said.

“Importantly, what is your trigger in relation to when you’re going to put your plan into place, because if you’re going to leave it until you see the smoke, you’ve left it far too late.”

Sky News chief meteorologist Tom Saunders said a northerly airstream would carry very hot air from central Australia down across nation’s southeast.

“Surface temperatures will be well above average and that is why we have a forecast of a severe to extreme heatwave in parts of southeastern Australia,” he said.

“Sunday will be the hottest day for many areas, climbing well over 40C and even up to 45C for the southeast inland.

“Monday is a day to watch because as a change starts to move through from the southwest, the north-westerly winds will increase, it will still be a very hot day but as winds freshen up that’s a day when we could see extreme fire dangers through parts of southeast Australia.”

He said cooler air would then spread through the southeast on Tuesday and Wednesday with temperatures only expected to reach 20C in Melbourne on Tuesday.

Beach weather is on the way. Picture Tim Carrafa

MELBOURNE OUTLOOK

Thursday: Mostly sunny, 13-31C. Five per cent chance of rain.

Friday: Mostly sunny, 16-26C. No chance of rain.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, 15-29C. No chance of rain.

Sunday: Hot and sunny, 16-38C. Five per cent chance of rain.

Monday: Possible shower, 24-31C. Forty per cent chance of rain later in day.

Tuesday: Shower or two, 15-20C. Fifty per cent chance of rain.

Originally published as Mercury set to rise in Melbourne, with a scorcher predicted for Sunday