Territory swelters as Build-Up heatwave drags on, Central Australia warms up

ALMOST all towns south of Kakadu National Park are forecast to reach temperatures at or above 40C this week, while the heatwave up north is expected to last until Thursday.

ALMOST all towns south of Kakadu National Park are forecast to reach temperatures at or above 40C this week.

In Alice Springs the mercury is expected to hit 41C while at Finke it is forecast to hit a toasty 44C.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Billy Lynch said the rest of the week in the Red Centre would be pretty hot.

“It’s going to be a hot week in the Red Centre, there’s a fair chance tomorrow Alice is going to have its first day over 40C,” he said.

Alice Springs typically has two days above 40C in the month of November.

Mr Lynch said while the Top End remained in the grips of a heatwave, the Red Centre was not.

“It’s not part of a heatwave, because it’s not prolonged enough but it is drawing heat southward from the heatwave in the Top End,” he said.

Narrows resident Matthew Burnham trying to cool down during the Build-Up. Picture: Keri Megelus

MORE TOP NEWS

‘Absolutely heartbroken’: Darwin man identified as crash victim

Man, 29, tests positive for COVID-19 after Sunday’s repatriation flight from London, becoming seventh active case in the NT

Men accused of mass horse kill to fight charges in Supreme Court

The heatwave in the northern parts of the Territory is expected to last until Thursday.

“It has been a long heatwave,” he said.

“It’s fair to say it’s been a prolonged heatwave across the Top End although it’s still nowhere near as bad as last year.”

Mr Lynch said the Build-Up was worse last year as it was hotter for a longer period of time.

“Overall the Build-Up has been pretty good but the last week-and-a-half has been pretty hot and dry,” he said.

“From the end of this week we are expecting the Build-Up to be back on track. The projections are still to have a wetter than average wet season.”

Mr Lynch said the heatwave had pushed temperatures to about five degrees above average.

Tomorrow Darwin can expect temperatures to reach 35C, Howard Springs 36C, Batchelor 38C and Adelaide River 39C.

CENTRALIAN ADVOCATE digital subscription offer: Full digital access for just $1 a week for the first 12 weeks

Mr Lynch said the heatwave had caused some records to fall with Warruwi, up in Arnhem Land, breaking its November temperature record from 1967 with a top recording of 37.7C on Saturday.

At Point Stuart a November record was also set with a recording of 38.8C on Saturday.

Darwin had its hottest day of the heatwave so far on Sunday when the mercury hit 36.6C while at Tindal, just south of Katherine, the mercury hit 42.4C.

Follow @jasmineaburke