Another hot weekend forecast for Dubbo: how to stay cool

Dr Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick discusses Dubbo's January temperatures. Plus, how does hot weather impact your health?

Dubbo's hottest January day is more than three degrees warmer that it was 50 years ago. Dubbo, 14 January 2021, Source: Monash University.

After another hot summer week, Dubbo is forecast for a sunny Saturday reaching a top of 31 degrees, and a slightly cooler Sunday reaching 29 degrees.

Dubbo is no stranger to searing January heat.

These days, Dubbo's hottest January day typically reaches almost 42 degrees, more than three degrees warmer than we saw 50 years ago.

In fact, 15 of the past 20 summers have seen temperatures over 40 degrees.

This can have major implications for the health and safety of the community.

Did you know?

Health authorities warn that temperatures over 40 degrees put you at risk of heat exhaustion.

This is because it is higher than the body's normal temperature of 36-37 degrees.

Hot weather can cause your body's internal temperature to rise beyond the safe range, and cause heat stress, exhaustion and even heat stroke.

On very hot days, it is important to stay cool, stay hydrated, and keep an eye on children, pets and older people.

Voices from your community

University student Taylor Collins has lived in Dubbo for 22 years and experienced some of the hottest temperatures Dubbo has on record.

"When I was a kid, summer was hot and we would go to the pool but we would not suffer," she said.

"Now, temperatures are soaring and summer temperatures are reaching 46 degrees plus which is really unbearable.

"I cannot go out into the heat and under the sun."

Ways of cooling down in summer can include using fans, staying inside to avoid the heat of the day or taking cool showers.

Community voices like Taylor's tell us how residents and business owners in Dubbo feel about their local climate. If you would like to contribute your voice to our column, you can fill out our 5-minute survey here.

Dr Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick is a climate scientist at the University of News South Wales.

This column is part of a collaboration between Monash University and News Corp to deliver hyperlocal weather and climate information.

Questions? You can email us at [e-mail]