To date, the maximum temperatures to October 20 have been the lowest since 2003 in Wangaratta, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Across to Perth, where the heaviest October rain since 1995 occurred, it has been the coldest for October since 1971.

Perth has recorded 803mm of rain this year - the first time that the annual average of 782mm was exceeded before the end of October for 16 years.

The City of Melbourne had an unusually high maximum temperature of 26.6 degrees on September 2, and so far this month, the highest temperature has not reached 25 degrees. The last time this unusual temperature pattern occurred was 105 years ago in 1916, which was certainly a very wet year in the eastern states and this continued in 1917, which, according to the yearly rainfall maps I have, was Australia's wettest year over the past 120 years.

There was a similar temperature pattern in 1951 when the maximum temperature reached 27.7 on September 17 in Melbourne and did not get above 26 in October 1951. The year 1951 was not as wet as 1916 in Victoria, but 1952 was very wet indeed.

A violent thunderstorm hit Yalboroo about 50kms south of Proserpine on October 19. Hailstones were as large as 16cm in diameter - the biggest ever seen in Australia. Mackay and Proserpine are heading to their warmest October on record, with maximum temperatures three degrees above normal and also warmer than the average maxima for other warmer months November to March as well.

In Proserpine, the mean maximum temperature this month is 33.3 degrees and with no signs of cooler days during the last week of October, this month will be six degrees higher than this last September - the biggest rise from September to October in the same year in 60 years of records. The previous biggest rise from September to October was 5.3 in 1987.

Interestingly, very hot days of 35 degrees invaded the Albury-Wodonga region after a cold October in 1987, from October 31 to November 2, and this may happen after the heat record for October occurred at Tennant Creek on October 20, when the temperature reached 42.8. The previous hottest October day at Tennant Creek occurred 64 years ago in 1957 and we had a cold, wet October in our area in 1957 but a hot day of 34 degrees on November 2 in 1957.

Tennant Creek now looks set to record its hottest October since 1988, with the mean maximum now standing at 37.5. October 1988 saw the highest temperature in Wangaratta of only 28 degrees on the 20th but reached 33 degrees on November 2. It looks like we will have a hot day on November 2 but heavy rain and thunderstorms will soon arrive, which occurred during early November of 1987 and 1988.