El Nino conditions to bring higher than average temperatures this summer

No, you are not imagining it — summers ARE actually getting hotter. As Sydney continues to swelter in a holiday heatwave, and braces for more storms this weekend, meteorologists said average­ temperatures are steadily rising.

No, you are not imagining it — summers ARE actually getting hotter.

As Sydney continues to swelter in a holiday heatwave, and braces for more storms on Saturday, meteorologists said average­ temperatures are steadily rising.

However, extreme heat events are not new. Australia’s hottest top temperature of 50.7C was recorded in Oodnadatta, South Australia, in January 1960.

And Sydney’s hottest day was 47.8C recorded at the now-closed Richmond weather station in 1939.

Penrith came close last January with a top of 47.3C, while the CBD’s hottest day of 45.8C was recorded on January 18, 2013.

Meteorologists say average temperatures are steadily rising in Sydney. Picture: John Grainger

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The Bureau of Meteorology’s Jordan Notara said that over the past decade, temperatures across NSW had been above average in all but one year.

That trend had broadly continued since the 1990s, explaining why the average person felt summers were getting increasingly hotter.

Sydney's forecast for the next three days.

“We are seeing increasingly warmer temperatures year-to-year over inland Australia so the trend is still that, over multiple years, we are seeing maximum temperatures broken and a statistical trend to average warming increases,” meteorologist Mr Notara said.

“So if that pattern continues we are likely to see more heatwaves affecting the state.”

He said it was difficult to map whether storm intensity had increased over the same period but noted Sydney had already experienced several extreme events this summer, including the hailstorm that caused millions of dollars of damage in December.

The average person felt summers were getting increasingly getting hotter. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

“That hail event was one of the biggest in the last 20 years so it is not insignificant at all,” Mr Notara said.

Sydney can expect this summer’s heat to continue, with El Nino conditions forecast to bring higher than average temperatures.

“Coastal areas always have the sea breeze but across the state on average we are expecting higher maximum temperatures,” Mr Notaro said.

“The El Nino effect tends to create drier and warmer conditions.”

Tristan Edwards plans to beat the heat by heading to Jamberro every day. Picture: Toby Zerna

The mercury is expected to hit 38C in Penrith today but a late southerly change could cause temperatures to plummet in Sydney’s coastal suburbs ahead of expected storms. Mr Notara said the Sydney CBD would be “significantly­” cooler than the western suburbs.

“Depending on the timing of this southerly change those warm temperatures could drop very fast and be replaced by a potentially very stormy Saturday,” he said.

“By Sunday the wet weather will stick around but the hot spell will have ended. Then it will be cooler for a few days before temperatures return to average.”

Carpenter Tristan Edwards, 19, showing off his acrobatic skills at Jamberoo Action Park yesterday, said of his plan to beat the heat: “I’m just going to go to Jamberoo­ every day.”

Originally published as El Nino conditions to bring higher than average temperatures this summer