The new year kicked off with a sizzle, as locals sought refuge from the 30°C heat by plunging into pools, cranking up air-conditioners or enjoying cool drinks in the shade.
The heat peaked on Sunday, January 5, the temperature reaching a top of 40.1°C before a cold snap brought jumpers and long sleeves back out with a maximum of 21.5°C the very next day.
The second week of January saw no respite, with the mercury stubbornly hovering around 31°C.
Residents endured nine consecutive days of maximum temperatures exceeding 29°C.
On Sunday, January 12, the heat mixed with high humidity and concocted perfect conditions for an evening storm, with reports from residents recording between 8mm and 25mm of rain.
And, while no severe damage was reported by Kyabram SES, many locals took to social media to report damage casued by “golf-ball sized” hail stones.
The Bureau of Meteorology recorded 8.6mm on Monday, January 13 from the previous night — the most rainfall for the month.
However, the rainfall total in January was “very below average” according to BOM, which said the amount of rain that fell was in the lowest 10 per cent since 1900.
Residents were treated to a sunny week four of January, with zero rain and the second-highest maximum temperature of the month, with a 41.1°C day on Tuesday, January 21.
It would only be a preview of the following week’s weather, with Monday, January 27 having the highest maximum temperature, 41.8°C.
But nothing could prepare those in Kyabram for what the first 10 days of February would hold.
The January rundown
Mean temperature — minimum: 15.8°C; maximum: 32.5°C
Lowest temperature — minimum: 11.4°C; maximum: 21.6°C
Highest temperature — minimum: 21.4°C; maximum: 41.8°C
With an average temperature of 36.6°C and a top of 40.4°C on Friday, February 7, it was a heatwave and a half for students crawling back to school for another year.
The Kyabram Living Waters Church opened its doors to those looking for a cool retreat, while schools went into lunch lockdown mode, keeping students inside to keep them cool.
After a week of maximum temperatures above 35°C, the heatwave settled to a more comfortable 29°C on Saturday, February 8.
37°C