The last four months of 2012 have collectively been the third warmest in 36 years for Adelaide. Looking into the new year, there is more heat on the way. Each month of spring and also December saw above average daytime temperatures. November was particularly warm, reaching 2.6 degrees above average. Conditions across this period were drier than usual, with rainfall below average in each of the four months. These warm and dry conditions were due a reduction in cloud cover over central and southern Australia during the period. This allowed heat to build more than usual and reduced rainfall. The warm trend will continue into the new year thanks to a very hot air mass building over the nation's interior and west. As heat lingers over southern parts of Western Australia, Perth will experience a heat wave with temperature climbing into the low 40s until Sunday. This heat will be drawn into Adelaide from New Years Day when temperatures rise into the mid thirties. A series of hot days are then likely to reach well above 30 degrees. Looking further ahead into the rest of summer, near-average temperature and rainfall is expected for Adelaide. This means generally hot and dry days as January and February are typically the hottest and driest months of the year.