It doesn't take a rocket scientist to realise that Melbourne is experiencing some rather unusual weather for this time of year. This week, Melburnians can expect rain and temperatures as low as eight degrees, and the Bureau of Meteorology has predicted snowfall in parts of Victoria as well as hail from December 13 to 15.
For context, this time last year, Melbourne was already experiencing balmy summer days with temperatures in the high 20s and low 30s. So what gives? According to the ABC, Australia has been heavily impacted by a negative Indian Ocean dipole; put simply, this weather driver frequently results in wetter weather. With just two weeks left to go until Christmas, things aren't looking so good, so we've tried to find the answer on every Melburnian's mind: what are the odds of a bit of sunshine on the big day?
Unfortunately, we won't have a reliable prediction of the Christmas Day weather forecast until December 18. But at this stage, the BoM has flagged that Victorians can expect below-average temperatures throughout the remainder of December. Yikes! If you were planning on having your Christmas lunch outside, it might be time to work out a weather-proof plan B.
The BOM releases its seven-day forecast each Wednesday, so check here on December 19th for an even more accurate prediction.