Summer temperature records tumble

If this summer felt hotter than normal, that is because it was.

Bureau of Meteorology figures show Shepparton recorded not only its hottest summer day, but also its highest mean daily minimum and record highest mean temperatures.

Summer’s mean maximum recorded at Shepparton Airport was 33.1°C, 2.5°C warmer than average.

This toppled the previous summer mean daily maximum record of 32°C, set in 2013.

Tatura also set a 53-year record for highest summer mean daily maximum; 31.8°C — 2.8°C hotter than the summer average.

Similarly, Shepparton set a summer mean minimum record (16.5°C), 2.1°C warmer than average.

The city’s hottest summer temperature in at least 20 years was recorded on January 25, 46.2°C at Shepparton Airport.

This toppled the previous record of 46.1°C from February 7, 2009.

The Shepparton Airport site has 22 years of data available.

Also on January 25, Tatura equalled a 55-year record for its hottest recorded temperature, 44.8°C (recorded at the Tatura Institute of Sustainable Ag).

Record highest summer mean temperatures were also achieved by Shepparton (24.8°C) and Tatura (23.7°C).

Summer rainfall was about 50 mm, almost half the summer average of 98 mm.

Meanwhile, outlooks indicate the region is unlikely to exceed its median March or autumn rainfall and maximum temperatures are likely to exceed the median for these periods.

Statewide, summer rainfall was 12 per cent less than the long-term summer mean of 120 mm.

Victoria’s mean temperature was more than 2.5°C warmer than the long-term summer average, making it the warmest summer on record.

Read the story from The Shepparton News - “Summer temp records broken.”