28/12/2011: Melbourne is looking at a hot start to 2012, potentially the hottest start to a year in more than a century, according to weatherzone.com.au.

If the city reaches 36 degrees on the first two days of 2012, as the current forecasts suggests, it will be the hottest start to a year since 1900. That year began with 40.4 and 40.7 degrees, the hottest first-two-days on record.

The last time Melbourne reached 35 degrees in the first two days of the year was in 1943, when it reached 35.3 and 35.1 degrees.

"Northerly winds will develop on New Years Eve, taking the temperature to the low-30s before a sea breeze develops. It should then cool to about 22 degrees by midnight under mostly clear skies, quite comfortable for those counting down to 2012. On New Years Day and the following day, northerlies will pick and draw in more heat from the interior and bump the temperature to the mid-30s," Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said.

"Mid-30s-heat may even persist into Tuesday, the third day of the year before a cooler change arrives. It's unusual to get three consecutive days in the mid 30s this early in summer - you could call it a once-in-a-decade event," Dutschke said.

Melbourne's new-year-heat is travelling from northwest WA, where record-breaking temperatures have occurred. Last Wednesday it reached 49.4 degrees in Roebourne, the hottest December day on record for WA.

"We're not likely to get to the high 40s in southeastern Australia, but low-to-mid 40s is on the cards for the interior of Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia during the next week," Dutschke said.

Residents are advised to keep alcohol to a minimum, drink plenty of water and spend as much time in the shade as possible.

Media Inquiries:

Brett Dutschke
media@weatherzone.com.au
02 9965 9269

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