Bathurst Regional Council’s latest State of the Environment Report, for 2015-16, includes a warning that local temperatures are expected to keep rising in coming years.

While noting that Bathurst experienced warmer than average daytime maximum temperatures in every month except January and June [2016], the report also states worse is to come.

“The warming is projected to be on average about 0.7 degrees in the near future, increasing to about 2.1 degrees in the far future,” it reads.

“The number of hot days is projected to increase and the number of cold nights is expected to decrease.”

Spring rainfall is expected to decrease into the future, while autumn rainfall is expected to increase.

For the record, January 2017 is off to a hotter, drier start than usual [though you already knew that].

The average daily maximum for the month so far is 31.9 degrees [long-term average is 28 degrees] while the Bureau of Meteorology has recorded just 8.4mm of rain [long-term average is 68.3mm for the month).

Kind of makes you hot just thinking about it, doesn’t it?

IN a survey result unlikely to surprise anyone, beer has been revealed as Australia’s number one choice for a summer tipple.

The survey conducted by clipp.co found beer accounted for 45 per cent of all beverage purchases from pubs and bars across Australia, followed by spirits (33 per cent), wine (19 per cent) and non-alcoholic drinks.

The survey also found that craft beer has now overtaken “regular” beer as the most popular choice for drinkers in pubs and bars while white wine sales were streets ahead of red wine sales.

Vodka, whisky and rum were the most popular spirits across the nation for drinkers looking for a quick hangover the next day.

Clipp examined more than 55,000 customer orders across more than 600 establishments Australia-wide to compile the results.