Victoria experiences a varied, temperate climate with four distinct seasons. The northwest is the hottest and driest region, experiencing semi-arid conditions, while the northeast alpine areas are cold enough to receive significant winter snowfall.
Melbourne and the southern coastal areas are famous for their changeable weather, often described as "four seasons in one day." Summers (December to February) can be warm to hot, with average maximums around 25°C to 26°C (77°F to 79°F), occasionally spiking above 40°C (104°F) during heatwaves. Winters (June to August) are cool and damp, with averages around 14°C (57°F). The state is prone to natural disasters, particularly severe bushfires during hot, dry summers (most notably the tragic Black Saturday fires in 2009) and occasional flooding along major river systems. The climate generally falls into the Köppen classifications of Oceanic (Cfb) in the south and Semi-arid (BSk) in the northwest.