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Weather forecast: Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide heatwave hell

DON’T go outside tomorrow. Authorities are bracing for “catastrophic” conditions caused by the heatwave from hell.

Debra Killalea, Megan Palin and AAP
7 min read
February 10, 2017 - 7:51PM
Hello eastern and southern Australia, welcome to your uber hot weekend. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology.
Hello eastern and southern Australia, welcome to your uber hot weekend. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology.

BRACE yourselves, it’s hot outside. In fact, it’s so hot you should just stay indoors or by the pool.

A monster heatwave is gripping Australia and if you’re expecting quick relief tomorrow, sadly you’re in for a rude and sweaty shock.

Temperatures today soared to 44.5C in Penrith and other parts of Sydney’s west and as high as 46.9C at Ivanhoe Airport, in lower western NSW.

The Bureau of Meteorology has reported the hottest February day on record at Sydney Airport today. It has broken the previous record of 42.6C, set on February 21, 1980.

Parts of Australia are facing “catastrophic” fire conditions over the weekend as a heatwave sweeps across the country and threatens power outages in NSW and South Australia.

NSW, Queensland and Victoria expect extremely hot conditions on Saturday and Sunday with the mercury to climb well beyond 40C in many locations. The heat is expected to continue throughout the weekend before things cool off early next week.

A state-wide fire ban has been declared for NSW with catastrophic conditions expected on Sunday in the state’s central west, across the tablelands to the Hunter region and out to the coast.

The Hunter region will cop the brunt of the extreme heat with Singleton and Cessnock topping the predicted temperatures with 46C on Saturday and 43C on Sunday.

Western Sydney reached 44C on Friday with the city forecast for a cooler 38C. The western Riverina town of Hay reached 47C.

Saturday’s Randwick races have been postponed to February 13 because of the extreme weather expected over the weekend.

Racing NSW and the Australian Turf Club made the decision out of concern for the welfare of horses and punters.

Tropfest director John Polson said the event would still go ahead in Parramatta this weekend.

It is now officially the hottest summer in Sydney’s 158 year recorded history — with 10 summer days over 35C, according to BOM.

The 40C mark has also been exceeded in Gosford on the Central coast and at Tocal in the Hunter Region.

New South Wales, South Australia, Queensland and parts of Victoria are currently in the grips of a heatwave from hell with cooler weather not in sight until at least Sunday, with experts warning to plan ahead to avoid heat-related illnesses including dehydration and heat stroke. Earlier today, Darwin was the coolest capital city in the country.

Queenslanders will have to wait even longer for a respite with cooler conditions not expected until next week.

The Courier Mail has reported that three children, all aged 13, were taken to hospital after they succumbed to the warm weather at a North Lakes school in Queensland.

Paramedics were called to the school on College Rd about 10am after several children reportedly suffered from heat related illnesses, the newspaper reported.

People living in northern Victoria are also working up a sweat before a cool change sweeps through the state, bringing much-needed relief on Sunday.

And South Australians are set to suffer even more with the northern outback town of Tarcoola recording a high of 48.2C yesterday, making it Australia’s hottest town.

Meanwhile as temperatures soar across the eastern states, at least a dozen beaches were closed on the Gold Coast due to strong swell. The ‘glitter strip’ beaches, between Burleigh and Rainbow, are expected to reopen on Saturday.

“Lifeguards and lifesavers will check the beaches north of this area in the morning prior to making a decision,” a Gold Coast City Council spokeswoman said.

And the Office of Environment and Heritage for NSW has also advised people to avoid swimming at the popular beaches of Coogee and Little Bay due to pollution.

Senior forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology, national operations centre Stephen Wood, said while summers in Australia were notoriously hot, the consecutive run of hot days in so many states was not normal.

“It’s unusual to have such prolonged heat for this long without a reprieve,” he said.

If you live in Sydney, you might want to head here for a while. Picture: goodstephhunting/Instagram
If you live in Sydney, you might want to head here for a while. Picture: goodstephhunting/Instagram

Mr Wood said the lack of cool change was due to the heat staying inland and becoming trapped by the high pressure ridge.

“This basically keeps the heat sitting in the centre of Australia. It really is quite an incredible heat. We are used to getting 2-3 heatwaves a summer but this has just been ongoing.”

Meanwhile a climate and health expert has warned the extreme temperatures could not only break records but could prove fatal.

Dr Liz Hanna, a climate and health expert at The Australian National University, said people must take the extreme heat seriously to avoid the risk of dying.

“The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast two days of 41 degrees Celsius in Canberra so we may break the all-time record for the city’s hottest day,” Dr Hannah said.

“The current record is 42.2 degrees Celsius set in 1968.”

Here’s what the heatwave from hell looks like in your state.

NEW SOUTH WALES/ACT

As the heatwave spreads further east into the coastal regions of NSW, the state is bracing for record weather that is set to strain hospitals, bring “catastrophic” fire threats to some areas and could cause blackouts as electricity demand soars. There is a statewide fire ban on Saturday and Sunday in NSW and the ACT.

Fire crews are also warning people living in bushfire prone areas to have an evacuation plan in place.

“If the forecast eventuates we’re likely to see catastrophic fire danger develop in some areas including the Hunter,” RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said.

Mr Wood said Sydney usually recorded temperatures in the mid-30s and even 40s throughout the summer.

But he said the run of consecutive high overnight temperatures has meant people don’t feel like they have got any respite.

As the city prepares to swelter today, health authorities are warning people to stay indoors.

Sydney’s CBD is expected to hit 38C today while parts of western Sydney, including Penrith and Richmond, will hit a scorching 44C.

NSW Energy Minister Don Harwin has already warned the grid would be at “full stretch” and could be temporarily shut as electricity demand soars.

The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) is forecasting a record demand for power between 4.30pm and 6.30pm.

Electricity demand is set to jump by 50 per cent in western Sydney, according to Endeavour Energy, which will place emergency crews on standby in case of network faults, AAP reported.

Mr Harwin said people could save energy by turning the air con up to 26C, adjusting fridge temperatures, switching off unused electrical appliances and turning off lights where it’s safe to do so.

NSW Health has advised people to limit physical activity and to avoid alcohol and sugary drinks.

Pet owners have also been warned to keep their animals cool and hydrated and to avoid leaving them in hot cars.

Some track closures are also in place in national parks.

The good news is relief will be in sight for some parts of the state on Sunday morning when a predicted cool change kicks in.

Parts of the coast and greater Sydney are tipped to cool down to the mid-20s on Monday and Tuesday.

Canberra is also going to be hot with 41C today and tomorrow and 31C on Sunday.

QUEENSLAND

The Sunshine State will certainly live up to its name but is set to suffer the most out of all the states.

Mr Wood said Brisbane in particular would not have much relief anytime soon from the oppressive heat.

While the northern part of the state was being battered by a monsoon, other parts of the state were sweating through the heatwave.

Temperatures in Brisbane will hit 32C today, 36C tomorrow and 39C on Sunday.

Monday will hit 36C before a cool change hits on Tuesday bringing the mercury down to 29C.

Further inland it will be even hotter still, with some areas not cooling down much at all.

The outback town of Birdsville will reach 45C today, 46C tomorrow 46C on Sunday before dipping to 38C on Sunday.

The BoM warns there is still more to come for other towns including Ballera, which hit 46C on Wednesday.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

As a heatwave batters South Australia, thousands continue to flock to beaches and pools to cool down while the state’s electricity supply struggles to cope with high supply demand.

Tragically, a woman drowned at Aldinga Beach last night after her inflatable raft drifted out to sea, according to The Advertiser, amid reports she was trying to save a child.

Two others were also treated by paramedics at the popular beach south of Adelaide.

Mr Wood said Adelaide would continue to swelter today and tomorrow until a cold front moved through.

The heatwave has battered several states in Australia, with thousands cooling off in pools and beaches.
The heatwave has battered several states in Australia, with thousands cooling off in pools and beaches.

The mercury will hit 39C today, 36C tomorrow before dipping to a much cooler 24C on Sunday.

If you think that’s hot spare a thought for the outback town of Tarcoola, which hit 48.2C yesterday, and is tipped to hit 46C today and 46C tomorrow.

VICTORIA

While Melbourne is sitting at a comfortable 28C today after a cooler change hit the city, the northern parts of Victoria are not so lucky.

Bendigo is tipped to hit 38C today and 37C tomorrow before dipping to a cooler 21C on Sunday.

Melbourne will hit 28C tomorrow before a cold front pushes the mercury down even further to a cool 19C on Sunday.

“The northern parts of the state remain very hot,” Mr Wood said.

“But Sunday should see some relief all around.”

Meanwhile in Australia, Perth recorded its second-wettest day in history and snow is forecast for some parts of Tasmania over the weekend.

— with AAP

Continue the conversation on Twitter @newscomHQ | @DebKillalea #heatwave

debra.killalea@news.com.au

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Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/weather-forecast-sydney-brisbane-adelaide-heatwave-hell/news-story/2987928bc491cd60b3c5543ba36620e6