"It will be hot, dry ...", unfortunately these words have been used way too often over the past few months. Yes, we do live in the driest inhabitable continent in the world but what we are currently experiencing is unprecedented. 2013 has seen the hottest summer and hottest winter on record. Since June, the 12-month running hottest period on record has been broken not once or twice but thrice. Not surprisingly this year is on track to be the hottest the past six generations of Australians have ever experienced. The climate is undoubtedly changing but to understand what has been happening in the short term, we need to head north and see what happened earlier this year with the North Australian Monsoon (NAM). 2013 saw a late start to the NAM, which on average reaches the Top End in mid-to-late December. In fact, up until late February, the wet season (October through to April) was not so wet but hot. The lack of cloud and rainfall associated with the NAM led to the hottest wet season on record despite some good rainfall in March. Since the retreat of the NAM northwards in April, clear skies have allowed for plenty of sunshine to heat up even further the heart of Australia. The central interior is, if you like, an integral part of the heat machine of the continent. Now, during this time of the year, we see cold fronts marching over the southern and eastern states. Northwesterly winds ahead of these systems drag the heat south and towards the east. These winds are not only hot but also dry and gusty, the perfect ingredients for enhanced fire danger. At the moment, everyone is looking ahead into the summer thinking what it will be like, even though we are not even half way through spring. Summer might not necessarily bring the worst fire weather. In the eastern seaboard, east of the divide for example this is when stronger easterly winds bring the rainy season. Also during summer the subtropical ridge migrates south, pushing cold fronts towards Antarctica. Currently, Australian climate drivers are neutral. Weather phenomena like La Nina, El Nino or the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) are looking to remain neutral through the Austral summer. Based on these we would expect a normal summer in terms of temperatures and rainfall. Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) surrounding Australia, however, are warmer that usual and the heat in the central interior is reaching unprecedented levels. Looking at the current trend, October and most likely November will continue to be hot and dry. But for once, southerners are looking north. For what happens this year with the NAM might hold the key on how the southern summer shapes up. Currently the NAM, just like Santa is looking to be on track for a mid-December arrival. But we won't be entirely certain until we get closer to the end of the year.