MELBOURNE'S hottest July day in almost 20 years is forecast, with strong winds predicted to reach 100km/h.
The mercury is set to hit 21C today as the unseasonably warm weather continues.
Bureau of Meteorology climate meteorologist Richard Carlyon said today would be the warmest July day since 1994, when the temperature rose to 23.1C.
Strong winds are set to pummel Victoria throughout the day, with gusts of 100km/h predicted to hit Melbourne by midday before continuing to Gippsland.
The winds are forecast to bring heavy rain and a chance of storms.
A severe weather warning has been put in place across the state, with the exception of the Mallee region in Victoria's northwest.
Mr Carlyon said: "It is quite rare to get anything above 20C in Melbourne in July.
"We do have a weather warning in place as the winds will get stronger throughout the day.
"It won't be until tonight that the wind starts to ease up."
The State and Emergency Services is on high alert.
SES spokesman Lachlan Quick said drivers should allow extra time for their commute.
"You will find trees across the road today so take care," he said.
A top of 17C and a few showers are forecast for tomorrow, followed by a cool 13C and showers for Saturday and Sunday.
Maximum temperatures have been above average every month in 2013, and Sky News senior meteorologist Tom Saunders said this was an historic streak of warm weather.
"This is no mean feat considering weather data exists for Melbourne back to the 1850s," Mr Saunders said yesterday.
Melbourne's average temperature has been 22.5C so far this year, significantly above the long-term January to July average of 20C.
Bureau of Meteorology climate meteorologist Harvey Stern confirmed the record, which he said exceeded an average temperature of 22.3C for the first half of 2007.
Dozens of other areas around Victoria are also on record pace in 2013, with Mildura, Ballarat and Bendigo among the cities experiencing their hottest start to year.
Winter has brought no cold comfort to Melbourne either, with every day in July having a maximum temperature higher than the long-term July average of 13.5C.
But this month's hot streak could come to an end on Saturday, with a cold front expected to see the mercury drop to a chilly 11C.
Mr Saunders said the record for Melbourne's hottest year had been routinely threatened throughout the past decade.
"The unprecedented heat is due to abnormally warm ocean temperatures surrounding Australia, which is partly the result of global warming," Mr Saunders said.
"Nine out of the 10 warmest years recorded in Melbourne have occurred during the past 15 years, although the urban heat island effect does play a role in higher urban temperatures."
Dr Stern said Melbourne's conditions were mirroring a global pattern of rising temperatures.
"We have higher temperatures in a slightly warmer world, and so you get the right patterns and that's the result," Dr Stern said.
Mildura has sweltered through 2013 with an average temperature of 26.1C so far, well above its January to July average of 24.2C and warmer than a record average of 25.7C set in 2001.
Ballarat has seen an average maximum of 20C, compared to an expected average of 18.5C for the first six months of a year, while it has been 23.3C on average in Bendigo, far warmer than the 21.8C norm.
Swan Hill, Warnambool, Orbost, Wallan, Kyabram, Kerang and Ararat are among dozens of other towns where maximum temperatures have soared above average in 2013.
With Tom Minear
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