Spring off to a warm start as Victorian temperatures jump following a mild winter
Victoria, Australia, is experiencing an unusually warm start to spring following a record-breaking mild winter. While farmers hope the moisture will support crops, authorities have issued warnings regarding an increased risk of bushfires.
Why it matters
The trend highlights the impact of climate patterns like El Niño on regional agriculture and public safety in Australia.
Victoria experienced one of its warmest starts to spring. ( ABC News: Gian De Poloni )
Spring is off to a warmer than average start across Victoria.
It comes after a wet and mild winter, which was among the state's 10 warmest on record.
Farmers hope winter rain will carry crops through a hotter, drier spring.
Link copied Share Share article Spring is off to a warmer-than-average start across Victoria, following a record-breaking winter.
Melbourne's average top temperature for September is 17.3 degrees Celsius – yesterday, the mercury almost hit 22C.
The temperate region of East Gippsland was hotter at lunchtime yesterday than the semi-arid city of Mildura, in the state's north-west.
Bairnsdale in East Gippsland reached a top temperature of 24.1C, more than 6 degrees above the September average.
The entire state experienced one of its warmest starts to spring, Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecaster Chris Kent said.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in