Victoria swelters through warmest January on record

Melbourne is set for a return to hot weather and uncomfortable nights, after the state’s warmest January on record.

Melbourne is forecast to heat up again this weekend, with temperatures up to 37C expected. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Victoria has sweltered through its warmest January on record and the beginning of February isn’t expected to bring much relief, with temperatures into the low 40s forecast for the weekend.

Melbourne has been “exceptionally” warm, with some parts of the city recording their highest-ever January temperatures, the Bureau of Meteorology says.

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Melbourne is forecast to heat up again this weekend, with temperatures up to 37C expected. Picture: Nicole Garmston

Across Australia, the mean January temperature exceed 30C, the first time this has occurred in any month.

The data also shows most of Victoria received less than 20 per cent of its average monthly rainfall.

The first weekend of February isn’t expected to bring any relief, with Melbourne forecast to reach 35C and 37C over Saturday and Sunday, respectively, after a top of 24C on Friday.

Saturday night is set to be an uncomfortable one, with the CBD temperature forecast to drop to just 24C.

Meanwhile, temperatures in the state’s northwest are excepted to reach up to 41C.

It comes as firefighters battle 14 “going fires” — meaning they don’t have containment lines around them — mostly in the Gippsland region.

A watch and act is current for a fire east of Greendale, 20km north of Bacchus Marsh.

A cool change is expected to hit Melbourne late on Sunday afternoon, bringing possible storms, ahead of a forecast top of 22C on Monday.

“As far as storms go, it looks like the most likely area is through the eastern part of the state but there is a chance through central areas as well,” Mr Stewart said.

Melbourne is forecast to drop to a top of just 22C on Monday before climbing to 31C later in the week.