Victoria’s Mallee region to feel the brunt of a three-day summer heatwave

THE parched Mallee region in Victoria is expected to feel the brunt of a scorching heatwave this weekend.

Panoramic warm sunset

VICTORIA’S parched Mallee region is expected to feel the brunt of a scorching heatwave this weekend.

Temperatures are already nudging 40C in parts of northwest Victoria with the mercury tipped to hit 43C today and 44C tomorrow before a change moves in after another warm day on Sunday.

At noon, Longerenong had already hit 40C with Horsham and Hopetoun both reaching 39.5C. It was 39C at Walpeup and 38.5C in Mildura.

Temperatures are forecast to hit 43C at Hopetoun and Ouyen today. Horsham, Swan Hill and Nhill are each going for 42C.

Tomorrow will see the mercury rise to 44C in Hopetoun, Mildura, Nhill and Ouyen, and 43C in Swan Hill, Echuca and Horsham.

All race meetings across the state scheduled for tomorrow have been abandoned due to the extreme hot weather conditions.

Racing Victoria announced today that tomorrow’s meetings at Flemington, Colac and Wangaratta had been abandoned after a review of the forecasts this morning.

Tomorrow’s picnic meeting at Yea was abandoned yesterday due to the predicted weather in the local region.

The warmest spots on Sunday are expected to be Shepparton, Sale and the NSW centres of Albury, Deniliquin, Hay, Narrandera and Wagga Wagga — each going for a top of 40C.

A change is expected to cross southeast Australia on Sunday night, with temperatures building again by Christmas Eve.

HEAT IS ON

Forecast temperatures for the next three days

ALBURY, NSW

Friday: 38C

Saturday: 41C

Sunday: 40C

BAIRNSDALE

Friday: 35C

Saturday: 35C

Sunday: 39C

BALLARAT

Friday: 37C

Saturday: 39C

Sunday: 33C

BENDIGO

Friday: 40C

Saturday: 42C

Sunday: 39C

DENILIQUIN, NSW

Friday: 40C

Saturday: 41C

Sunday: 40C

ECHUCA

Friday: 40C

Saturday: 43C

Sunday: 39C

HAMILTON

Friday: 37C

Saturday: 40C

Sunday: 31C

HAY, NSW

Friday: 40C

Saturday: 41C

Sunday: 40C

HOPETOUN

Friday: 43C

Saturday: 44C

Sunday: 37C

MELBOURNE

Friday: 37C

Saturday: 41C

Sunday: 35C

MILDURA

Friday: 42C

Saturday: 44C

Sunday: 37C

NARRANDERA, NSW

Friday: 37C

Saturday: 40C

Sunday: 40C

NHILL

Friday: 42C

Saturday: 44C

Sunday: 33C

OUYEN

Friday: 43C

Saturday: 44C

Sunday: 37C

SALE

Friday: 36C

Saturday: 39C

Sunday: 40C

SHEPPARTON

Friday: 40C

Saturday: 42C

Sunday: 40C

SWAN HILL

Friday: 42C

Saturday: 43C

Sunday: 38C

YARRAWONGA

Friday: 40C

Saturday: 42C

Sunday: 40C

WAGGA WAGGA, NSW

Friday: 37C

Saturday: 39C

Sunday: 40C