Melbourne is under its first heatwave warning of the summer, with a run of 35-degree days set to open the working week.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a high of 35 degrees on both Monday and Tuesday, after the mercury climbed past 33 on Sunday.
Willdife are especially vulnerable during heatwaves and may leave shelter to find water.
It’ll be particularly sweltering in the south, where East Gippsland is under a severe heatwave warning, while strong northerly winds will put the fire danger rating up to extreme in the Mallee and Wimmera further north by Tuesday, according to bureau forecaster Bri Macpherson.
Throughout the state, Monday night is likely to be particularly warm – overnight minimums are tipped to remain in the 20s – before a cool change sweeps through later on Tuesday afternoon.
“Those northerly winds coming across the Tasman Sea will really build [to hot temperatures] by Monday,” said Macpherson.
As for that Tuesday cool change, thunderstorms could develop in the evening, including in Melbourne, but the fast-moving trough is likely to sprinkle rain across the state rather than dumping torrential downpours in one spot.
A comfortable 20 degrees is the forecast top for Wednesday.
While Melbourne has already sweated through its hottest day of the summer so far, Macpherson said this was its first heatwave.
“It’s been a funny summer,” she said. “But a run of days like this is when it can be especially dangerous.”
A pop-up cooling centre is open in Melbourne’s CBD until the end of February to give the city’s most vulnerable access to air-conditioning.
Also vulnerable are pets and wildlife.
A heat-stressed flying fox rescued by Wildlife Victoria. The animals are crucial pollinators but populations are under pressure from climate change and deforestation.Credit: Wildlife Victoria
Wildlife Victoria has warned that during heatwaves, many animals will leave the safety of nests or burrows in search of water and urged people to leave out water bowls with sticks or rocks inside to prevent drowning.
The rescue group said it was increasingly seeing the impacts of climate change on wildlife as they were battered by more heat and extreme weather events, including a rise in injuries and changes to behaviour and breeding patterns.
“Heat events can cause dehydration, disorientation, even burns and blindness,” said Wildlife Victoria chief executive Lisa Palma. “Grey-headed flying foxes and ringtail possums are particularly vulnerable.”
Palma recalled rescuing an exhausted brushtail possum with a baby in her pouch, who was desperately trying to get water from a tap inside a cricket club and had become stuck at the top of its wire door. Both lives were saved that time.
But “our wildlife are on the front line of climate change”, said Palma. “They don’t have air conditioning or rain jackets; they don’t get a break from the weather.”
If you encounter a heat-stressed animal, call Wildlife Victoria on 03 8400 7300.
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