Ferocious heatwave set to ravage nation
Heatwave conditions are set to sweep the country, with poor air quality forecast for Sydney, while Victoria is expected to top 44C.
Victorians are being urged to keep cool as extreme heat sweeps across the state, with the mercury set to soar to 44 degrees in some parts. While in Sydney, NSW Health has issued an air quality warning.
The forecast hot, dry conditions have prompted a severe fire danger warning for Victoria’s Mallee, Wimmera and northern country districts while Melbourne is expected to reach 36.
The hottest spots will be in the state’s south west, with Mildura, Swan Hill and Kerang predicted to hit 44.
Echuca in northern Victoria is also expecting a top of 44.
The state health department has issued a heat alert for the affected areas, warning the extreme heat may affect people’s health.
People are urged to keep cool by using wet towels, putting their feet in cool water and taking cool, but not cold, showers.
“Pregnant women, people aged over 65, people with pre-existing medical conditions and children and babies are particularly vulnerable on days of extreme heat,” the department says.
“Consider reaching out to someone you know that may be suffering in the heat today.” The fire danger rating is listed as very high in the state’s south west, north central, central and north east and high in west and south Gippsland and east Gippsland.
Total fire bans are enforced in the Mallee and Wimmera districts and the Country Fire Authority is urging people to prepare their bushfire survival plans. Fire bans have been declared across parts of Australia, as a heatwave sweeps across the south of the country.
A broad area stretching across much of southern Australia is set to experience the hot weather, with temperatures generally 10-14C higher than usual for this time of year, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Poor air quality for Sydney as temps rise
Poor air quality has been forecast for Sydney today as ozone levels rise with the hot weather, NSW Health says.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast severe heatwave conditions for southeast NSW on Thursday with the mercury to reach 41C in Cobar in the central west and 44C in Deniliquin in the Riverina region.
Sydney is forecast to hit 29C while Penrith in the west will reach 39C. Ozone exposure can irritate the lungs and people with asthma are urged to take extra precautions, NSW Health executive director Jeremy McAnulty said in a statement.
Dr McAnulty said limiting time outside during the hottest parts of the day will help people keep cool and limit their exposure to ozone pollution.
SA swelters through summer heatwave
A car crash in South Australia’s mid-north has sparked a grass fire as most of the state swelters through heatwave conditions.
The Country Fire Service says the fire at Hope Gap is still burning but doesn’t pose a threat to people or property in the area.
It came on Thursday as temperatures soared, especially across SA’s north, with Port Augusta the hottest centre with the mercury hitting 44.5C by midday.
Pilbara releases ferocious heatwave
Heatwave conditions are set to sweep across large parts of the country over coming days, with meteorologists forecasting a run of record high temperatures in some areas.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jonathan How said temperatures in the low to mid 40s were expected today across much of South Australia, as well as in parts of western NSW and northwest Victoria.
Mr How said the high temperatures — up to 14C above average for this time of year — would continue into the weekend.
“We are seeing severe to even extreme heatwave conditions developing across quite a wide area of southern Australia,” Mr How told The Australian.
“The area affected stretches from Western Australia in the Pilbara district through South Australia into southern NSW and Victoria as well.
“Although these temperatures are unusual for this time of year, what is more unusual is that it’s over such a long period of time.
“Heat has been building in the Pilbara in Western Australia and the trough has dragged all this heat to the southeast, with little relief from cold fronts to flush away the heat.”
After peaking at 48.5C, the tiny Pilbara town of Marble Bar, 1500km north of Perth, was the hottest place in Australia yesterday. It is expected to retain that mantle today, with the temperature tipped to reach 48C again.
Marble Bar resident Dean Hatwell spent yesterday watching the Boxing Day Test in his airconditioned house.
Mr Hatwell, 70, said Marble Bar usually had a population of about 200 but at this time of year only about 50 people remained.
There have been only three days below 40C in Marble Bar this month and last summer the temperature pushed past 40C for 86 consecutive days.
“It’s hot here, but it’s a dry heat that doesn’t feel as bad as it sounds,” he said.
The hottest temperature recorded in Australia was 50.7C at Oodnadatta, 1000km north of Adelaide, in 1960.
Mr How said, for the first time in nearly a century, temperatures in Mildura, 550km northwest of Melbourne, were expected to reach 40C for four consecutive days. Renmark, in South Australia’s Riverland, is forecast to reach 45C today and tomorrow,
Temperatures in Broken Hill were not expected to fall below 40C until Monday.
Canberra should expect 38C today and tomorrow.
Mr How said he would not be surprised if Canberra’s record December temperature of 39.1C was broken this week.
“At the moment the bureau is forecasting a warmer and drier summer than normal, so this could really just be a taste of things to come,” Mr How said.
Health authorities have issued warnings to remind people of the dangers of heat-related stress. Fire bans are widespread.
Additional reporting: Paige Taylor, AAP
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