Birdsville breaks record for most days over 45C in a row

As the state’s far north braces for another tropical cyclone, one town in Queensland has broken the record for having the most days over 45C in a row.

As the state’s far north braces for another tropical cyclone, one town in Queensland has broken the record for having the most days over 45C in a row.

Birdsville, in Queensland’s central-west, recorded ten consecutive days, from January 12-21.

The town has been sweltering with temperatures as high as 47.2 degrees during that period.

Duty forecaster Kimba Wong said the string of hot days was broken on Tuesday when the mercury hit 44.9C.

Yet Ms Wong said Birdsville will still be battling with temperatures of 45C until Sunday.

“It only just dipped below on Tuesday but its forecast to continue reaching about 45C until the end of the week,” she said.

“Definitely a string of hot days but it’s just unfortunate. Well not unfortunate for those over there that it dipped below 45C but it did break the string of consecutively hot days.”

Charles Carstairs, 9, keeping cool during a 46C afternoon in Birdsville. Picture: Peter Wallis

The previous state record was also held by Birdsville, which was for a period of six days over 45C, back in 2004 and 2013.

Yet the national record is still held by Marree in South Australia which recorded temperatures over 45C for thirteen consecutive days in January 1973.

Birdsville’s average temperature is 40.5C in January and the town is perched inland making it vulnerable to “hot and dry continental air” in summer, according to the forecaster.

“There’s nothing to push that hot air away, it stews over the centre of the country. And in the last little while we have had this strong high-pressure system sitting over Australia bringing those heatwave conditions in those southern states and inland Queensland as well.

“The way the wind turns around that high-pressure system has been dragging that dry continental air straight over Birdsville and definitely keeps it hot,” she said.

“And no cold air from the south has been able to push it off as yet.”

Yet she said the town should be expecting some cooler temperatures from the middle of next week. Temperatures are expected to drop to 37C by next Wednesday.

Stockman Kerry Morton, who works at a local cattle station, said “you just learn to adapt” with the heat.

He said he starts his day early and takes a long break during lunch during the hottest part of the day.

“You start the day at sunrise, at lunchtime, you have a couple of hours off and then after lunch, get back into it.”

“Pretty much the same as what the Mexicans do — have a siesta then get back to it,” he added.

A nurse at Birdsville Clinic said despite the sweltering heat, he hadn’t seen that many heat-related issues.

“I think the people out here are sensible enough and get up early to do the work in the morning before it gets too hot.”

When asked how he’s coped with the intense heat, he said “we enjoy the airconditioning.”

He said he starts his vehicle five minutes with the airconditioning running before jumping into the car.

Meanwhile in far north Queensland, a tropical cyclone is set to travel over the Coral Sea and Gulf of Carpentaria in coming days with local residents being warned of damaging winds of up to 90km/h, heavy rainfall and flash flooding.

A combination of a low-pressure system and a “strengthening monsoon” could develop into a cyclone, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

BIRDSVILLE’S HOT STREAK

JANUARY 12: 45.7C

JANUARY 13: 47.2C

JANUARY 14: 45.8C

JANUARY 15: 45.2C

JANUARY 16: 45.3C

JANUARY 17: 46.4C

JANUARY 18: 46.6C

JANUARY 19: 46.3C

JANUARY 20: 45.7C

JANUARY 21: 45.2C

JANUARY 22: 44.9C