Wangaratta, like much of the state, got off a hot start to November.

The city recorded a maximum temperature of 32.4 degrees on Sunday, 2 November, while Rutherglen had 33.3 degrees and Yarrawonga 34.4 degrees.

This was the hottest day for early November since 1988 at all three major centres.

At Wangaratta there was higher readings in early November in 1987 and again in 1957.

Interestingly the summers following 1957, 1987 and 1988 were notably warmer than normal and also wetter than average which means more thunderstorms and hail than normal.

Higher temperatures have occurred in the past during October.

Wangaratta had 33.3 degrees on 26 October, 1997 - and exactly a month later 41.7 degrees was recorded on 26 November, 1997.

Needless to say, the summer of 1997-98 was extremely hot.

Last Monday's cool change with thunderstorms brought relief from our warmest night for early November since 2018.

Wangaratta had 21.8mms, Rutherglen 17.4mms and Yarrawonga 24mms of rainfall while Falls Creek, Mt Hotham and Mt Buller had heavy snowfalls.

The month of October saw a total of 204mms at Wilsons Promontory after heavy rainfalls of 167mms in July, 142mms in August and 184mms - making a total of 697mms in this four month period, which is the wettest since 2013 for this July to October and the second highest in 158 years of records at the Prom.