Melbourne to experience a stellar week of warm temperatures as Spring kicks off

Melbourne will be basking in sunshine over the coming week as soaring temperatures bring perfect conditions after a blast of wild wintry weather.

Despite a wintry start to the season, the warm weather Victorians have been waiting for is finally here with stellar conditions forecasted just in time for the AFL semi-finals.

Unlike last week, the presence of ponchos and umbrellas will be an unlikely sighting for fans heading to the MCG on Friday with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting temperatures in the mid twenties.

The blockbuster match between Melbourne and Carlton will follow three days of mostly sunny skies and light winds, with warm weather also forecasted for the weekend.

BOM Meteorologist Joanna Hewes told the Herald Sun last week, northerly winds are to thank for the surge in temperatures.

“We’re on an upwards trend,” she said. “And as winds turn more northerly, the cooler temperatures will gradually heat up … and those temperatures will get up into the mid twenties.”

Melburnians can expect warmer than usual mornings this week. Picture: David Crosling

This week, Melburnians can expect to experience their warmest day since May, kicking off with a top of 22C on Tuesday.

A high of 24C will follow on Wednesday with the BOM forecasting light winds with a five per cent chance of rain, while temperatures will jump to 26C on Thursday.

For the weekend, temperatures will remain warm with a high of 25C forecasted for both Friday and Saturday – just in time for the footy – before slightly dropping to a high of 23C on Sunday.

As for minimum temperatures, the mornings will be quite toasty with Thursday morning’s low forecasted to be 17C – the warmest morning since March.

Meanwhile, Victorians are urged to “slip, slop, slap” with the UV index expected to reach four (moderate) between 10am and 2.30pm over the coming days.

The sun will break through the clouds in what will be a warm Spring week. Picture: Mark Stewart

This week’s weather is a vast change to Friday’s weather event which saw roof tiles ripped off houses and trees uprooted across the state.

A cold front brought damaging wind gusts of up to 140km/h in some areas, while waves reached heights of at least seven metres in the Mornington Peninsula.

A deluge of rain also washed out Melbourne as temperatures plummeted to the low teens, however this wasn’t enough to dampen the spirits of footy fans who flocked to the MCG for the opening week of this year’s AFL finals series.

But it doesn’t look like the rain is here to stay, with Victoria expected to endure its driest spring in four years, with an El Nino alert in place.

The warm weather comes less than a week after the state endured strong winds and rain. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“All of Victoria is very likely to have below average rainfall this spring, with warmer spring days than usual and warmer nights,” the BOM said in a statement.

“All of Victoria has an increased chance of an unusually dry spring, with the highest chances in parts of the west and south.”

The dry weather has increased the state’s fire risk for large areas of Victoria, particularly in Mallee, Wimmera and East Gippsland.

“Prepare and review your bushfire plan wherever you are, Know your weather. Know your risk,” the statement said.