Glen Waverley had its driest September for 50 years while nearby Mitcham had its driest September in 82 years of records.

Just north, Yan Yean Reservoir which has rainfall records dating back to 1855, recorded only 12.6mms for September, the driest September there since 1938.

Further north at Lancefield near the Macedon Ranges only 20.4mms fell in September making this the driest September since 2008.  

A listing of very dry Septembers occurring in the same year at both Yan Yean and Lancefield was examined and these happened in 1862, 1904, 1938 and 2008.

The following summer season after these four cases was very hot with extreme fire danger.  

For 1862, December was very hot and dry with temperatures in Melbourne reaching 42 degrees at the end of December with the highest temperature, 40 degrees, in both January and February 1863. Both did have slightly above-average rainfall.

At Deniliquin the temperature soared to 46.7 near the end of December 1862 and then reached a record 49.4 early in January 1863. This temperature record of 49.4 still stands.

Then came welcome rain; the year 1863 was very wet everywhere in Eastern Australia.  

For 1904 there was excessive heat at the end of December 1904 and early January 1905. It reached 46.7 at the end of December 1904 at Deniliquin and then 45.3 in mid-January 1905 and 43 in Melbourne.

There was widespread welcome rain mid-February 1905 in our area while April to July 1905 was a very wet period in our area, but it was a bone dry during the summer of 1938-39, except for heavy rain late February 1939.

The temperature hit 45.8 in Melbourne, 47 in Wangaratta, 46.7 at Deniliquin and 46.8 at Rutherglen on Black Friday, January 13, 1939.  

For 2008, December was notably cooler and wetter than normal, but in January 2009 it dried out rapidly and by the end of January the temperature reached the mid-40s. A week later Black Saturday arrived. There was not much rain in Wangaratta until June 2009.  

Alice Springs has had four successive days of 38 degrees this week, considered to be earliest in the season since 2013. The summer of 2013-14 was certainly noteworthy for the highest number of 40-degree days in Wangaratta in any summer.

Despite this, both December and January were slightly wetter than average. So far this month the highest temperature has not exceeded 28 degrees in Wangaratta and may not reach the 30s until October 31. Not much rain is expected before early November.