Searing heat has broken at least one January record in Victoria, as the state endured its worst day of bushfire danger since the Black Summer of 2019/20.

Victoria swelters through extreme heat

The state’s hottest reading for Friday was 46.5°C at Walpeup in the Mallee region, about 90 minutes south of Mildura.

About half an hour southeast of Walpeup, Hopetoun Airport registered 46.3°C. This broke the old January record of 46.0°C set on January 4, 2019 (data back to 2004).

Melbourne's hottest day in five years

Just before 4pm, Melbourne’s official city station at Olympic Park reached 42.9°C. This made it the city's hottest day since the Black Summer of 2019/20.

Even hotter temperatures were recorded in some of Melbourne's outer suburbs, including 44.9°C at Point Cook on the city's southwestern outskirts, illustrating that proximity to Port Phillip Bay was no defence against the scorching northwesterly winds.

Melbourne Airport recorded 44.4°C at 3:47pm, making it the site's hottest day since December 20, 2019.

At least three South Australian locations reach 47°C

Roxby Downs and Coober Pedy in the state’s North West Pastoral district registered 47.4°C and 47.2°C respectively to 4pm Friday (ACDT), while Renmark in the Riverland hit 47.0°C after the previous day topped out at 47.3°C, which was within just 0.1°C of the annual record.

Renmark also hit a high of 45.5°C on Wednesday, making it the town's most intense three-day hot spell in at least 70 years.

Relief coming for southern states

The good news for South Australians and Victorians – including those currently facing severe bushfire conditions – is that cooler conditions are on their way, albeit with little if any significant rain.

The cooler air is already starting to arrive on Friday evening. Melbourne lost 10 degrees within just 10 minutes as winds swung around to the southwest around 5pm, and should see its maximum drop to just 27°C on Saturday. A string of even cooler days with maximums in the low twenties will follow.

Virtually the whole of South Australia and Victoria can also expect a spell of cooler conditions from Saturday onwards.

While Victoria's fire danger rating drops to high in all districts on Saturday (from Friday’s extreme or catastrophic rating) it’s important to note that a total fire ban remains in place for Saturday across Victoria.

Heat shifts to NSW on Saturday

Meanwhile the escalating bushfire danger and extreme heat will shift to New South Wales on Saturday, with Sydney expecting a maximum of 43°C in the city with similar extremes expected right across the Sydney basin.

The NSW fire danger for Saturday is rated as extreme in five districts, including in the Sydney area.

Image: Forecast maximums across NSW and Vic on Saturday, January 10, 2026, according to the ECMWF model. Note the small area of pink centred on Sydney.