Mix of extremes for summer

The 2025–26 summer delivered an extraordinary mix of extreme weather across Wangaratta, leaving residents to contend with everything from scorching heatwaves and destructive winds to sudden hailstorms and unusually cold mornings. The season began in dramatic fashion in December, which proved to be one of the most volatile months in recent years. While early summer can often be warm but steady, this year brought rapid and frequent swings that kept emergency services and locals on alert. The city recorded its hottest December day in almost four years when temperatures soared to 41°C on Thursday, 18 December. That intense heat was followed just days later by a significant storm system on 21 December. Although Wangaratta escaped the worst of the state’s severe weather, it still received 25.4mm of rainfall and wind gusts up to 69km/h, prompting seven callouts for assistance from VICSES. Earlier in the month, powerful winds exceeding 100km/h swept through areas near Laceby, Glenrowan and Cheshunt, leaving behind scattered damage. One of December’s most startling events arrived on 11 December, when a sudden and intense hailstorm blanketed parts of the Rural City. One local home was damaged, and more than 800 properties lost power at the height of the storm, according to the AusNet outage tracker. December ended with a total of 43mm of rain, but perhaps more remarkable was the temperature range: from the month’s high of 41°C to a wintry 5°C recorded on Monday, 8 December, an unusually cold morning for the start of summer. January shifted from volatility to relentless heat. With only 8.2mm of rainfall across two days, the month became defined by Victoria’s worst heatwave in 17 years. Wangaratta endured four consecutive days above 40°C from 25–28 January, followed by two more scorching days above 40°C on the 30 and 31 January. The hottest day of the entire summer arrived on Wednesday, 28 January, when the temperature peaked at a blistering 45.2°C. Despite the searing heat, the city briefly dipped to a low of 9.2°C on Friday, 23 January, although this offered little meaningful relief from the oppressive conditions that dominated the month. February continued the theme of extremes but brought a welcome return of significant rain. The month recorded 45.8mm in total, with the standout event being a strong downpour that delivered 27.4mm between 9am Sunday, 22 and 9am Monday, 23. It was the heaviest single-day total the city had seen since June 2025, marking a notable shift after January’s prolonged dryness. Heat was still present, with temperatures climbing to 40.8°C on Wednesday, 11 February, but the month also brought one of summer’s coldest mornings, dropping to 6°C on Monday, 2 February.

Mix of extremes for summer

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