The phrase ‘four seasons in one day’ is often used to describe the conditions in Melbourne – they’re notoriously changeable.

The 2025 tournament has already featured sunny skies, torrential rain and thunderstorms, which caused play on outside courts to be suspended on day one.

Temperatures can often fluctuate between 30C and 40C during the day, but can drop into the mid-to-low teens for the evening sessions.

In 2014, Melbourne had three consecutive days with temperatures above 40C.

The shifting weather patterns are largely due to Melbourne’s position on the southeastern coast of Australia, at the meeting point of contrasting hot and cold air masses.

Meteorologist and BBC weather presenter Simon King says that “on the coastal south of Victoria, Melbourne is in a position where the wind direction makes all the difference to the weather.

“During the summer months, a wind coming in from the north can be very warm, if not hot. These northerly winds transport the hot air from the interior desert of Australia where temperatures can easily be more than 40C.

“But, should the wind change to a more southerly direction, cooler and moister air is drawn in from the Southern Ocean.

“Warm and cold air don’t like to mix, so when you get these contrasts in temperature it can be a recipe for big thunderstorms to develop with hail and gusty winds.”