Bureau of Meteorology: 40C maximums and where have they gone

Parts of southeast Australia have not recorded a day over 40C in more than three years. See how each centre compares with the past decade.

Parts of southeast Australia have not recorded a day over 40C in more than three years.

The revelation, in an analysis of Bureau of Meteorology weather statistics from Victoria and southern NSW over the past decade, comes as unseasonal weather continues this summer with heavy rainfall and, in many instances, above-average temperatures.

According to BOM figures, several centres in northern Victoria and southern NSW haven’t surpassed 40C since 2021 while towns further south haven’t hit the summer scorcher benchmark since 2019.

Albury and Wangaratta last topped 40C on January 25, 2021 while Horsham hasn’t reached 40C since December 31, 2021. Stawell and Hamilton last hit 40C on January 31, 2020 and Ballarat on December 20, 2019.

The analysis shows the number of days where the mercury has soared above 40C has dramatically dropped off since 2019, the year preceding the deadly Black Summer bushfires which ravaged southeast Australia.

In that year, Albury recorded 16 days above 40C, Wangaratta 15 days and Horsham 11. Hay in the NSW Riverina recorded 28 days of 40C-plus temperatures in 2019 compared to 12 during 2023 while Mildura recorded 29 compared to 11 days in 2023 and Kerang 19 days compared to two in 2023.

Kerang has recorded just eight days above 40C in the four years since 2019 ahead of Wangaratta (eight), Nhill (five) and Melbourne and the Latrobe Valley (two).

According to the BOM, the average maximum temperatures during December last year were 0.36C above the long-term average, with Mildura recording the warmest days on average of 31.9C – 1.5C hotter than its long-term average. Hopetoun recorded the hottest maximum when the mercury rose to 31C on December 12.

East Sale recorded the highest minimum temperature on record of 14.5C while Gabo Island recorded the highest December night-time temperature for the state at 16.5C, or 2.1C above its long-term December average.

The hottest day was on December 12 at Hopetoun Airport, when the mercury hit 41C while the warmest night was 26.1C at the Echuca aerodrome on December 13.

According to the BOM’s eight-day rainfall outlook yesterday, parts of central Victoria, northern Victoria and the North East, as well as large swathes of southern NSW, can expect upwards of 25mm of rain in the next week to add to already soaked soil profiles.

Mildura is forecast to hit 41C next Monday and Tuesday.