School carnivals called off amid ‘extreme heatwave’
Townsville schools are cancelling their swimming carnivals as a record-breaking heatwave hits North Queensland, with the humidity and heat expected to create an extreme health danger.
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Townsville schools are cancelling their swimming carnivals as a record-breaking heatwave hits North Queensland.
Already the city has been copping high humidity, with Townsville Airport recording a “feels like” temperature of 40.2 degrees at 1pm yesterday.
The maximum temperature record for Ingham could be smashed, with the mercury expected to rise to 42C at the end of the week.
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Kimba Wong said the town’s February record sat at 40.6C, which was recorded on February 9, 2002.
“It certainly looks like we will possibly break the record in the next couple of days,” she said.
Heatwave conditions are expected for the Townsville region until Saturday.
Ignatius Park College, Kirwan State High School and Heatley State School have all postponed their carnivals planned for this week as the city braces for 38 degree maximums and extreme heatwave conditions.
Citing the “forecast heat and humidity”, Ignatius Park College’s carnival planned for tomorrow has been postponed until next Wednesday when conditions should ease for the 1100 students expected to descend on the school pool.
In a letter to parents, IPC principal Shaun Clarke said the Matt Bowen 9s Competition scheduled to be held this Friday has also been cancelled due to excessive weather conditions in Abergowrie.
“This Friday, the Bureau of Meteorology has forecast for Townsville a temperature of 38°C with a humidity level in excess of 67%,” Mr Clarke said.
“The combination of the high temperature and relative humidity have been identified as extreme heatwave conditions.
“The safety and welfare of our students are our top priority and the very hot and extreme heat conditions pose a risk factor for our students with heat-related illnesses or other health issues.”
Kirwan SHS cancelled the Year 8 and 9 swimming carnival yesterday and the Year 7 carnival planned for tomorrow has also been cancelled “due to extreme temperature and humidity levels forecast”.
“(In Townsville) temperatures are coming up to 38C at the end of the week and the weekend, and minimums 28C, so it’s pretty hot,” Ms Wong said. The average maximum temperature for Townsville is 31.2C and the hottest February day on record was 42.7C on February 13, 1969.
Oz Cyclone Chasers explained the hot and humid conditions related to the system which delivered heavy rain in Queensland’s south and across New South Wales, rather than Tropical Cyclone Uesi near Vanuatu.
Ms Wong said there was little chance of decent rainfalls over the next few days. To date, there has been just 13.4mm of rain recorded for Townsville Airport. February is Townsville’s wettest month and on average gets 304.9mm.
The weather bureau is tipping daytime and overnight temperatures from March through to May to likely be above average across Australia.
Originally published as School carnivals called off amid ‘extreme heatwave’