Summer returns with week of 30C temperatures in Perth INDIAN SUMMER: Perth is enjoying a balmy start to Autumn with a week of 30C temps. Picture: Robbie Goodall Source: National Features PERTH is in the midst of a once-in-a-decade warm spell after a cool wet March delivered higher-than-average rainfall. The city steadily warmed up over the Easter long weekend, reaching 30C on Sunday and Monday. Today will be the third of five consecutive 30C days forecast, the warmest spell in about four weeks. Five days in a row of 30C doesn't happen often this late in autumn. In the past 130 years it has only occurred 12 times," said Weatherzone senior meteorologist Brett Dutschke. However the most recent occurrence was only two years ago, when the first six days of April reached 30C. In a typical April there are only three-or-four 30C days in the whole month, Mr Dutschke said. At the moment we have plenty of sunshine combining with dry easterly winds blowing around a slow-moving high over the Southern Ocean. Many residents will lap up this warm, sunny treat, particularly given March cooled down so much after a warm start. In the second half of the month it failed to reach 30C for 12 days in a row - the most number of consecutive days in March since 2001. Overall the average maximum for March was 28C, almost 2C cooler than the long-term average of 29.7C. This made it the coolest March since 1997 when the average maximum was 27.8C. Even combining daytime maximum temperatures with overnight minimums, which averaged 16.1C, it turned out to be the coolest March since 1997. Cloud and rain was a feature during March, the main contributors to the cool month. On average there was 25 minutes less sunshine per day and there were two more rain days compared to average. The extra rain days helped Perth have its wettest March in 42 years and fourth wettest March in more than 130 years of records. It hasn't rained for about a week now, giving residents a taste of what March would normally offer - a week-long warm dry spell. The next best chance of getting some rain is on Friday, when a cooler change arrives in the form of a weak front. However, with showers only a small chance, residents may have to wait another week for rain.