Hobart has just broken a 79 year old record with its hottest March day today, a record that has stood since 1940.

Just as summer concludes, Hobart has experienced an extreme hot day today reaching 38.0 degrees at 1pm, a long way off from the average 20.2 degrees usually experienced in March. This is Hobart's hottest March day since 1940 (previous record 37.3 degrees), hereby breaking a 79 year old record (records begun in 1883).

Still being relatively early in the afternoon, this temperature could rise even further with the air mass looking warm enough to possibly reach 39 degrees; in turn smashing the previous record. Adelaide (41 degrees) and Melbourne (37 degrees) are also feeling the heat today as a trough ahead of a front funnels heat from the interior towards the southeastern capital cities.

A weak cold front is forecast to move through late this evening which will provide some relief for Hobart, however temperatures look to remain in the high 20s over the coming days. A Fire Weather Warning is currently in place for the East Coast, Midlands, Upper Derwent Valley, South East, Central Plateau and Western fire districts with Severe Fire Danger forecast for Midlands, Upper Derwent Valley and South East fire districts. A possible light shower forecast for tomorrow will hopefully help alleviate these risks.

For more information on Fire Weather Warnings visit http://www.weatherzone.com.au/warnings.jsp