Bureau of Meteorology statistics show January was the warmest month in the Wimmera, with an average maximum of 31.7 degrees Celsius for Horsham, 34 degrees for Nhill and 29.9 degrees for Stawell.

The hottest day was January 4, when the temperature reached 44.2 degrees in Horsham.

The seven months from October 2012 to April 30, 2013 were the driest on record for many agricultural regions in western Victoria.

The Wimmera received 85.5 per cent less rain in January, while Stawell's driest month was January when no rainfall was recorded.

Season-breaking rain arrived in June and parts of the region

experienced their warmest and wettest July on record.

Records included the highest July daily rainfall for Stawell and the highest July total rainfall for Horsham and Nhill.

Stawell's wettest July day on record was on July 14 when the city received 28.2 millimetres.

June claimed the highest rainfall in a month for 2013.

Horsham received 77.6 millimetres for the month and Nhill received 125 millimetres.

The wettest day in the Wimmera was in Nhill on June 12 when the town received 65.6 millimetres of rain.

Horsham, Nhill and Stawell also recorded the highest July daily minimum temperature and the highest July average daily minimum temperature.

Horsham residents experienced a chilly -2.2 degree minimum temperature on July 10.

Spring was cooler in the region and Stawell recorded its coldest spring day on record on September 13, when the maximum temperature reached 9.6 degrees.

In December, temperatures soared and the hottest December day was on December 19 when Horsham recorded 42.3 degrees, Nhill 42.6 degrees, Stawell 41.1 degrees and Edenhope 41.2 degrees.

The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted a warm start to the year with a little rain developing from late morning.

Light rain is forecast for the first few days of the new year, with temperatures expected to dip to the low 20s by the end of the week.