Parts of Victoria are experiencing their highest temperatures and worst fire weather in two years as some southern parts of the state hit 40ºC.

A flow of hot northerly winds is causing temperatures to soar across Victoria today. Places not shielded by cloud or cooled by onshore winds are experiencing temperatures ranging from 4 to 14ºC above average.

Image: Live 1:00pm temperatures in Victoria at https://www.weatherzone.com.au/vic

As of 1pm local time, temperatures had already exceeded 40ºC at Charlton in the state’s northwest and Point Cook in Melbourne. A few places in Victoria were already having their hottest day in two years by 1pm, based on the following running maximum temperatures:

• 39.9ºC at Laverton
• 39.1ºC at Melbourne Airport
• 38.2ºC at Bendigo
• 35.5ºC at Ballarat

Friday’s high temperatures also helped cause High to Extreme fire danger. By 1pm, Ballarat and Geelong were already experiencing their worst fire weather since January 2021.

Temperatures and fire danger ratings will continue to climb in the coming hours, before cooler south to southwesterly winds spread over the state this afternoon and tonight.

Stay up to date with the latest fire information on the Vic Emergency website here.