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Some late season warmth here in Melbourne - perhaps the last proper warmth before winter sets in . 24 yesterday, 25 today, 25 or 26 tomorrow and 23 for Saturday. Not record breaking but great for mid May. Things then go rapidly downhill from Monday with the first big low of the season barelling in from the west, though how much rain is with it remains to be seen - it dropped an inch in Western Australia yesterday and is quite a strong feature with strong winds. That system should flush much of the remaining warmth from the south east of the continent and heralds the beginning of our winter with temperatures of 15 and below becoming the norm for the next 3 months.

Finally the heatwave eased today in Melbourne. 9 straight days over 32 degrees and 4 of those over 35. Last night's minimum temperature was 26.5 degrees. Looking like a few autumnal days ahead with the grand prix at the weekend looking a showery affair and Saturday when i'm going, will be taking the brolly and 21 degrees will feel cool compared to the last few days. Even with the break, the heat is forecast to return again later next week, it really has been full on this summer time, hardly any cool changes and many days over 30 degrees in February and March.

Here in Victoria, Melbourne the weather couldnt have been more different than the New South Wales, and Sydney summer. we've had about 5 days when it's rained since November and that which has fallen has been in the form of the odd thundershower. we've had several hundred hours of sunshine each month and its been hot all the way. we're now about to smash the record number of days in a row over 30 degrees, which currently stands at 8 ( in any month) by 2 days . It was still 30 degrees at 10 last night All in all, a fabulous summer for those who like their summers hot and dry. Meanwhile back in Sydney, not a single dry weekend since the middle of January and hundreds of mm of rain, loads of cloud and humidity - yuk!

God i am so jealous of you guys. Missing the lamp post watching days... It was 40 degrees yesterday here and over 30 at 4 o clock this morning i would love a big dump here right now!

Yes, it reached 40.8 degrees yesterday in Melbourne, and was still over 30 degrees at 4am this morning - Now back to 21 degrees this afternoon! The Sydney temperatures today are completely bonkers though, nearer 50 than 40 - phew!

Feels strange reading this thread from my home in Melbourne wearing shorts with the sun blazing outside. remember many a snow watch on net weather when i lived in South London. kind of miss it.. hope you all get loads of snow and streamers etc!

Indeed. We've had one or two very hot days but typically for Melbourne (and thankfully ) it changes and breaks down quickly from the south. Note that change or breakdown does not necessarily mean any rain or less sun in this context - another strange experience! On Friday it got up to 39+ degrees C then the change came through and dropped us to 24. Saturday was 23 and today Sunday it's struggled to get above 18 degrees most of the afternoon - i think it just made the forecasted 20 in the end , however it has been overcast today. to the casual observer of news, it is made to sound like the cities have had constant 40 degree heat . Mind you, one or two days in a row is enough.... Next Thursday looking to be our next scorcher here in Melbourne. Possibly 43-44 degrees. No doubt will be followed by another 20 degree drop in temperature in an afternoon..... seriously , Melbourne must have one of the oddest climates in the world

Last Friday was incredibly hot in Melbourne , over 41 degrees - with a northerly near gale behind it - certainly different! You can't go out in it for more than about 15 mins without feeling rather unwell. Fortunately those days are rare here. Rather frighteningly hot though. Very glad of the cool change which came through last night, sunny, cool and blustery now, around 17 degrees this afternoon - gorgeous! I was looking forward to heat and sunshine when i moved here, suffice to say i now realise that there is such a thing as too much heat & sunshine. Walking around last Saturday it was sad to see possums and birds that had literally fallen out of the trees dead due to the heat - really shocking. So pleased it's changed back for now - although supposed to be 37 degrees again on Thursday - Got to love Melbourne weather! Temperatures are all over the place and we can be up near 40 degrees, back to 20 and then back up and down again all within a week. If you're new from the UK like me, it is rather peculiar, though very interesting.

Personally i'm loving this Melbourne summer. Have only moved to Oz from London in the last month, mind you. I quite like that we get sunny days of 20 degrees, then warmer, then belting hot ones, then back down to cool again! Now looking forward to the forecast 37 degrees on Saturday! bonkers!

Can't wait to move to Australia next week - although i love snow in the UK in winter, and model watching, the long dark days of the 6 months of GMT have increasingly become more difficult for me over the last few years. it just restricts my outdoor life too much. Glad i'm emigrating in that respect - i will look forward to snow and ski-ing in the Australian Alps in the southern winter, but at least i will be able to to work and come back in the daylight year round.

what is the day record for low temps at this time of year. i can't remember late September day of 10 degrees for a while in the South East.....

It certainly feels earlier and cooler than in the last few years, not good for those who like extended summery weather!

Very much enjoy reading this thread. I am emigrating to Melbourne at the beginning of November & look forward to adding my observations!

I'm moving to Melbourne at the end of October - really looking forward to adding my reports!! :-)

It's been a disasterously bad summer in the north west of England, was up there this weekend again and have just endured 4 days of periods of heavy rain, cool temps and scudding grey skies which has been a familar theme throughout the summer up there in the w yorks pennines. Absolutely awful, the central heating and fires on to take off the damp feel which after weeks and weeks of rain has penetrated into everyones houses. Appalling, and unprecedented. Relatives report there have only really been a handful of decent days - days without rain, or the threat of rain, over the whole of this summer. not so bad here in London for a couple of weeks in August, but still some showery days. a few days of extreme, unpleasant heat. however this blip doesnt offset what has been overall a very very poor show indeed, the sixth poor summer in a row and June and most of July were wet and unsettled beyond belief. Don't forget April and May were also wet almost every day. All in all the Spring & Summer period 2012 is best forgotten.

GW i have also watched this thread over the years and started with some skepticism i have to say, about either whether the ice was decaying much at all, or if it would have any impact. i am not in any doubt now. Whilst we can't say individual events are caused by global warming or ice loss, it seems to me that the amount and intensity of rainfall events over the past few years and their increase is an observable fact, probably the most observable change in the UK's weather . i have just returned from another few days in the area in which you live, i'm from around there originally and have family in W Yorks. ok , it usually does rain a fair bit up there. the locals "are used to " wettish summers. But this year, the mulitiple extreme rainfall events alongside what would normally be classed as very wet days either side, have been off the scale. i have never seen the ground so waterlogged in summer as this year. everytime it rains, the rivers go into winter-type spate within an hour or so - the water just runs straight off the surface. The last couple of weeks have been very wet indeed up there. Not much in the news but just consitently wet , day after day. If we continue to see this over the next few months and years, and the increase in energy (which i don't profess to understand) going into the climate system makes such rain events more frequent, the consequences are going to be far reaching for agriculture and people's lifestyles.

Just capped an appalling summer off, today. It's rained most of the weekend up north in Yorks where i have been and today was truly atrocious and around 14 degrees, wet and windy. It feels like autumn began a week ago and the leaves are turning already - light levels have been so low recently. Summer 2012 has been truly AWFUL.

Crikey , 31 degrees and high levels of humidity - surely the storms would be tropical style extraordinary, if they came off. personally i dont believe there will be that much heat, or that much moisture - it's so rare in the UK to get 31 or 32 degrees, cloud and widespread storms ...isnt it?

Wow, if it is 31 degrees, cloudy and humid we will experience rare truly tropical conditions - only happens every few years in the uk , not that nice, only from a novelty point of view. v unpleasant without air conditioning.

Cheers Nick - as you say, there are a number of people who do all they can to run down the country and moan, no matter what. Events like this really show up those who do nothing but accentuate the negative. I guess it's the same in many countries but we do take moaning to an art form in the UK . There's much imperfect about the UK , and the weather is one of those things...part of the national character. But really, some folk should just give it a break sometimes and see the good - even the joy - at certain times in life . Now is one of those times where people should allow themselves to feel a little happiness, even if they have much to be gloomy about.

I'm going to the final dress rehearsal tomorrow evening and i can't wait! Nothing the moaners can say will stop me having an amazing time. And am looking forward to a dry and warm ceremony on Friday - these showers, if they happen at all, look a far cry from the "washout" conditions a few days ago which some were wishing and gloating about, as they did with the Jubilee. Usual suspects - misery guts.

You guys should close your curtains and blinds or shutters during the day when you're out at work and only open them , or windows, when the sun is off them, during hot spells. I have a south facing flat in London and have had to adapt over the years and do this - so am enjoying only 22 degrees indoors right now. Over a prolonged hot period, temps do creep up indoors , but not nearly as much, if you do this. Took me years to resist the "it's sunny, open the windows" instinct though - trust me though, it works ( took having a partner who comes from southern europe to teach me!) Enjoy the hot weather outdoors and come back to a cooler home!

Maybe we can do this ? http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/rockets-stop-rain-on-chinas-parade/story-e6freyp9-1111117152100

It's funny as many forecasts show it as pretty dry with just the chance of a shower. And Friday's still progged to be a very warm day. GFS going for 26 degrees again. Looks to me like quite a weak feature.

Its worth it for this hot weather. I feel like i've moved countries compared to last week!