The Bureau of Meteorology issues heatwave warnings before and during severe and extreme heatwaves in Victoria. Find out more about the Bureau’s heatwave warning .
Early warning systems can help people and organisations prepare for forecast extreme heat and heatwaves, as identified in the State Emergency Management Plan – Extreme Heat . Our guidance document can help inform your heat planning and preparedness activities.
National heatwave warning system
The Bureau of Meteorology issues heatwave warnings when 10% or more of a weather district is in a severe or extreme heatwave.
It is based on 3 days of unusually high maximum and minimum temperatures for that location.
They use 3 heatwave categories based on intensity:
- low-intensity
- severe
- extreme.
According to the Bureau during these events, the following risks apply.
- Low-intensity heatwaves - most people can cope
- Severe heatwaves - vulnerable people at risk
- Extreme heatwaves - everyone is at risk, even people who are healthy.
Heat warnings are available on the Bureau of Meteorology , the Bureau of Meteorology , and their telephone service 1300 978 022.
More information on these categories and how the Bureau calculates the heatwave forecast is available via the Bureau of website.
Heat health warning
In response to a new Bureau severe or extreme heatwave warning, we will issue a heat health warning.
A heat health warning notifies the community, local governments, hospitals, health and community services of the risk and likely impact on people's health.
The Chief Health Officer may also issue a heat health warning when they consider forecast temperatures pose a health risk for example a single day of extremely high temperatures.
Find your forecast district
The following list shows all the local government areas in Victoria and what forecast district they belong to.
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- Ballarat City
- Banyule City
- Bass Coast Shire
- Bayside City
- Boroondara City
- Brimbank City
- Cardinia Shire
- Casey City
- Darebin City
- Frankston City
- French Island
- Glen Eira City
- Golden Plains
- Greater Dandenong City
- Greater Geelong City
- Hepburn Shire
- Hobsons Bay City
- Hume City
- Kingston City
- Knox City
- Macedon Ranges Shire
- Manningham City
- Maribyrnong City
- Maroondah City
- Melbourne City
- Melton Shire
- Monash City
- Moonee Valley City
- Moorabool Shire
- Moreland City
- Mornington Peninsula Shire
- Nillumbik Shire
- Port Phillip City
- Queenscliffe Borough
- Stonnington City
- Surf Coast Shire
- Whitehorse City
- Whittlesea City
- Wyndham City
- Yarra City
- Yarra Ranges Shire
-
- East Gippsland Shire
-
- Buloke Shire
- Gannawarra Shire
- Mildura Rural City
- Swan Hill Rural City
- Yarriambiack Shire (north of the netting fence)
-
- Central Goldfields Shire
- Lake Mountain Alpine Resort
- Mitchell Shire
- Mount Alexander Shire
- Murrindindi Shire
-
- Alpine Shire
- Benalla Rural City
- Falls Creek Alpine Resort
- Indigo Shire
- Mansfield Shire
- Mount Buller Alpine Resort
- Mount Hotham Alpine Resort
- Mount Stirling Alpine Resort
- Towong Shire
- Wangaratta Rural City
- Wodonga City
-
- Campaspe Shire
- Greater Bendigo City
- Greater Shepparton City
- Loddon Shire
- Moira Shire
- Strathbogie Shire
-
- Ararat Rural City
- Colac Otway Shire
- Corangamite Shire
- Glenelg Shire
- Moyne Shire
- Pyrenees Shire
- Southern Grampians Shire
- Warrnambool City
-
- Baw Baw Shire
- Latrobe City
- Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort
- South Gippsland Shire
- Wellington Shire
-
- Hindmarsh Shire
- Horsham Rural City
- Northern Grampians Shire
- West Wimmera Shire
- Yarriambiack Shire (south of the netting fence)
Map of Victorian forecast districts
Reviewed 20 December 2024