Capital city smashes 144-year-old heat record

Saturday, 2 May 2026 15:00

Four states have broken May heat records, with one capital city smashing a 144-year-old record.

Three Australian states have broken May heat records, with one capital city smashing a 144-year-old record.

The Tasmanian capital of Hobart recorded its hottest ever May day yesterday, exceeding the previous record of 25.7 degrees, Weatherzone reports.

The city hit 26.9 degrees just after 3pm, more than 12 degrees above its average May maximum of 14.6 degrees.

A view of Sullivans Harbor in Hobart, Tasmania on a clear day with Mt. Wellington rising in the background. The Broadcast Australia Tower, or NTA, sticks up on Mt. Wellington like a rocket poised for takeoff,

Warm north-westerly winds contributed to other May records.

At least 20 weather stations in Victoria registered heat records on the same day.

This includes Avalon in Melbourne's western outskirts, which recorded 29.3 degrees at 1.02pm, exceeding the old record of 28 degrees.

The maximum daily temperature for parts of south-east Australia hit the mid-to-high 20s on Friday.

The city of Warrnambool in the state's south-west reached 28.3 degrees at 1.23pm.

May heat records were also broken in NSW.

Deniliquin in the western Riverina region hit 28.5 degrees yesterday, nudging just above the old record of 28.0 degrees.

Hay also exceeded its May record, hitting 29.2 degrees, beating the old record of 29.1 by a whisker.

Ivanhoe hit 29.5 degrees, beating the old record of 29.1 degrees.

Temperatures set to dip

A low pressure system is set to bring rain, gusty winds and thunderstorms to parts of Australia until at least the middle of next week.

A cold front is set to slowly cross into Victoria late today and into tomorrow.

The low pressure system is then expected to move over Bass Strait or southern Victoria on Monday, with a cool south-westerly airstream in its wake, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

A cold front and associated trough will also move into NSW.

The system is set to cross the state between tomorrow and early next week, bringing unsettled weather to southern inland parts of the state.

Residents in the ACT can expect mostly cloudy days with the chance of a shower next week.

Isolated coastal showers will continue in Queensland at least Tuesday as a high pressure system extends over the state from a slow moving high near New Zealand.

South Australian residents can expect a cold front in multiple parts of the state, with isolated showers expected for the west coast district and southern agricultural area.

There will be showers over southern parts of Western Australia until at least Tuesday, along with the chance of a thunderstorm over the western Pilbara tomorrow.

A trough which has moved into the Northern Territory's south-west is expected to reach the Simpson District by this evening.

Off the back of warmer temperatures, showers are expected to fall in many parts of Tasmania until at least Tuesday.

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