The mean maximum temperature for March this year at 28.9 was 1.2 degrees above normal, but not as hot as March 2016 and 2017, which were just over 30 degrees.

The mean minimum temperature however, at 10.0, was 0.8 below the long-term normal for March, partly due to the coldest March morning for 13 years on March 19 when the temperature fell to 1.6 degrees.

The last time a hat-trick of warmer March weather occurred was from 1951 to 1953 and long-term temperature records at Echuca and Bendigo indicate three successive hotter-than-normal Marches from 1891 to 1893 with the last, 1893, with excessive rains April to December.

In 1953 there were very dry conditions from early February to early April with temperatures notably above normal, and again late April and the second week of May.

The only significant rain was just before mid-April and then little or no rain until heavy falls during the third week of May 1953.

The rest of that year was wetter than average until early November, with floods along The Ovens and Broken Rivers in July 1953 partly due to very heavy snowfalls on the mountains.

It appears this year will follow the 1953 weather pattern rather than that of 1893.

During last month WA’s Pilbara region baked in record late March heat. Port Hedland had a record 16 days of 40 degrees or more, breaking the previous record of 13 days set in March 1953. Nearby Mardie and Roebourne also had record late-March heat.

This extreme heat in WA eased over Easter but returned quickly on Easter Tuesday with Roebourne recording its hottest ever April day with a reading of 43.7 degrees. Just before Easter Roebourne recorded 46 degrees.

At the same time there have been flood rains in North tropical Queensland. Cairns and Port Douglas have had very heavy falls during the latter half of March completing one of the wettest January to March periods on record.

Out of a dozen past cases of very wet January to March periods at both these towns, only one occurred simultaneously with excessive heat in WA.This happened in 1953. The low minimum temperature of 1.6 on March 19 is favourable for unseasonable hot days early this month but unfortunately not for any significant rainfall in the coming weeks.

A March minimum of 1.1 on March 26, 2005 led to a 33 degree day on April 10 and without much rain until early June. The highest temperature last month was 35.9 on March 11. The highest temperature in March 2005 was 37.1 on March 1.