Weather and health experts team up on new heatwave warning system
A new warning system will let us know when an insidious weather event will hit the NT. Experts say heatwaves can happen up to 50 times a year. Here’s how to stay safe.
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Territorians will now be warned ahead of heatwaves, which health experts say kills more people than any other extreme form of weather in Australia.
The Bureau of Meteorology and NT Health launched a heatwave warning system on Tuesday, just days after the Top End’s wet season was declared.
Warnings will be issued through the BOM website and app notifications, as well as through NT Health, if there are consecutive days of unusually hot temperatures forecasted.
BOM Hazard Preparedness and Response manager Shenagh Gamble said there could be up to 50 heatwave warnings issued in the NT in the next year.
“Last year, we ran a trial heatwave warning process in the background and those heatwave warnings weren’t issued to the public,” Ms Gamble said.
“In the Northern Territory we saw around 50 trial heatwave warnings, so we could probably expect to see something similar to that going into this summer period.
“The areas that tend to be most affected by heatwave conditions are around the base of the Top End, around the Gulf of Carpentaria and up into the Top End.
“However, Central Australia is certainly not immune to experiencing heatwave conditions.”
Ms Gamble said heatwaves occurred when there were at least three straight days of unusually hot day-time and night-time temperatures.
“When we say unusually hot we mean there’s a calculation made based on what’s considered to be normal for that time of the year,” Ms Gamble said.
“When we show a heatwave warning it means that the conditions are going to be particularly hot, even by Territory standards.”
Today marks the official start of the wet season and there's already been some notable rainfall across the Top End, including 85mm at Channel Point, 84mm at Edith Falls Ridge and 71mm at Douglas River Research Farm. See all the 24-hour rainfall totals at https://t.co/3OFTtvkqmCpic.twitter.com/xdukkaIpnD
— Bureau of Meteorology, Northern Territory (@BOM_NT) October 1, 2022
“We have three levels of heatwave; the first is a low intensity heatwave (which) is fairly common through the summer months and doesn’t usually affect people too badly.
“Severe and extreme heatwaves though are the heatwaves with which we will be warning for. “A severe heatwave can very negatively affect vulnerable people or those people with underlying health conditions.
“Extreme heatwaves have the potential to impact anybody and particularly those people who work or exercise outside during the day.”
NT chief health officer Dr Charles Pain said heatwaves could be life-threatening.
“Extreme heat can be very dangerous for humans,” Dr Pain said.
“Heatwaves actually kill more people in Australia than any other extreme forms of weather.
“Fire, flooding and cyclones altogether are less dangerous than extreme heat.
“We’re used to heat in the Territory and most people are well adapted to that and know what to do.
“We do expect more extreme weather (though) and this gives us an opportunity to prepare.
“The groups most at risk in extreme heat conditions include children, people aged over 65 years, people living alone, people who are socially isolated and people who are taking medications that affect the body’s ability to cope with heat.”
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Originally published as Weather and health experts team up on new heatwave warning system
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