Victoria

Summer fails to sizzle but Saturday a day for the beach

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Feel you've missed out on a really hot summer Melbourne so far? 

You're right, but also wrong.

When it comes to the weather, the city is maintaining its reputation for being contrary. 

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, temperatures in January were mild, but also above average. 

Senior forecaster Michael Efron said there have been a "lack of extremes" this season.

"We haven't had any day over 40 so far in Melbourne," Mr Efron said.

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"On average we would have at least one day above 40 in January. 

But Melbourne's maximum temperature was slightly above average. 

Northern Victoria, including the Mallee and northern country district, were even two to three degrees above normal. 

"Across the metropolitan area, temperatures were a degree above the average," he said.

"The average temperature for Melbourne [in January] is 26.0 degrees. Melbourne recorded 26.5 degrees for January." 

But take heart, Saturday is certainly "beach weather" with the mercury hovering on the 34 degrees mark. 

Across the state temperatures will stay in the high 30s, with Mildura topping at 38 degrees. 

"We will see sunny conditions for most of the day. However there will be some showers and thunderstorm activity developing over the west of the state," Mr Efron said.

"Melbourne will see a minimum of 19 degrees, a reasonably warm night."

The good news, however, will not last as Sunday will be wet and muggy.

"Temperatures of around 25 degrees and quite humid conditions, almost tropical conditions across Victoria and once again the risk of thunderstorms  pretty much in the afternoon and evening from around 2pm," he said.

"It is more likely around northern Victoria; there is a risk in Melbourne [of thunderstorms] as well in the second half of the day."

The bulk of the rain in the metropolitan area will be in the late afternoon and evening. 

Monday will certainly be a wet morning in Melbourne, with a top of only 20 degrees.

"It will still be quite wet, especially in the first half of the day. It will be raining all morning," Mr Efron said. 

"On Tuesday, we should see that rain clearing to the east. It  looks like a dry day and the temperature back up to 24 degrees."

If you are thinking of having a soiree, then Wednesday is your night. 

Conditions will return to warm to hot on Wednesday, with a top of 32 degree in Melbourne. Cloud cover and northerly winds will ensure the mercury will stay around 24 degrees for the night.

The rest of Victoria will have a relatively cooler night in the low 20s. 

Mr Efron said the end of the week looked to be reasonably dry.

"Melbourne on Thursday looks quite warm as well, up to 31 degrees, even reaching 40 in Mildura," he said.

"Friday temperatures will be back to 26 degrees and this early stage Saturday looks quite warm again.

"Temperatures in southern Victoria, including Melbourne, will be in the low 30s and high 30s across northern Victoria."

Mr Efron said Victoria was unlikely to be cooler or wetter than average for February.

But the metropolitan area was cooler than average last year and the city had failed to experience a day above 40 degrees since 2014.

He said the average February temperature in Melbourne was around 25.8 degrees. 

"If you look at recent years in Melbourne, February last year was slightly cooler than the average ...[at] 25.1 degrees," Mr Efron said.