WARRNAMBOOL and district residents were jolted awake at 4am yesterday by a huge clap of thunder which heralded what was probably the last hot day until next summer.
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Temperatures reached 33 degrees before dropping sharply as a cool change blew in, bringing rain showers across the region and extending inland during the night.
Fortunately, the only significant fire activity was a blaze in Glenelg National Park near Dartmoor where 40 CFA and parks crews worked quickly to bring the flames under control.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Scott Williams said there was a complex climatic system with two troughs bringing in cooler temperatures and moisture.
A high-pressure front on Friday will lift temperatures to the mid-20s before another cold front brings more showers and some heavy rainfalls on Saturday night into Sunday morning, he said.
“There’s a little bit of rain about, but I don’t think it will be more than 20 millimetres,” Mr Williams said.
“Climatologists are still debating whether there’s another El Nino drought pattern ahead or a neutral weather pattern.”
pcollins@fairfaxmedia.com.au