Hobart weather: Tasmania’s south reaches 30 degrees
Many Tasmanian towns have reached 30 degrees, as the mercury rises closer to Hobart’s hottest day of the year so far. FORECAST >>
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MANY Tasmanian towns have cracked the 30-degree mark, as the mercury rises closer to Hobart’s hottest day of the year so far.
It’s just shy of our hottest 2023 day — January 14, when the temperature hit 31.7C.
It’s a far cry from our hottest January day on record though, which was cracked on January 4, 2013 when the temperature hit a staggering 41.8C.
The average daily maximum temperature for January is 22.5C.
The hot weather is set to ease tomorrow, with a maximum of 22 degrees expected in Hobart and a shower or two.
Thursday is even cooler, with temps expected to be 11-18C and cloudy conditions.
On Friday, Hobart is expected to be 11-20C and Saturday 14-21C.
Bushfires burn as Tuesday scorcher looms
SEVEN bushfires are burning across Tasmania as fire crews brace for another hot day on Tuesday.
There are bushfires burning in the Southwest National Park, in Primrose Rd, Rosebery, in Barton Crescent in Bridgewater, Lighthouse Rd in South Bruny, Inglewood Rd, Stonehenge, Russells Plains Rd in Rocherlea and at Butler’s Gorge in the highlands.
The Rosebery fire is near MMG’s mine and travelling towards Mount Black.
After a scorching day on Saturday and a cooler Sunday, temperatures will peak again with 30C forecast for Hobart and even hotter inland.
Tasmanian meteorologist Brooke Oakley said the hottest areas - and the biggest fire risk - would be the Upper Derwent Valley, with Bushy Park expecting a top temperature of 35C.
Ms Okley said the central plateau and the state’s West Coast would also be danger areas.
“We are talking temperatures eight-12 celcius above the summer average,” she said.
A cold front is due to come through early Wednesday.
But it will not reduce the fire risk.
“While the temperature will drop, there will be even more districts with a high fire danger because the winds will pick up. It will be windy and very dry,” Ms Oakley said.
“I expect the fires to watch will be the one near Lake Pedder and the fire near Rosebery.”
Ouse is expecting a top of 34C and Strahan, in the dry west of Tasmania, due to reach 33C.
The hot weather and windy change has prompted the Bureau of Meteorology to maintain high fire danger warnings across the state.
And Tasmania Fire Service can initiate a hot day response which doubles the brigade response to any fires.
There is also a hold on issuing fire permits in Tasmania’s North West and south.
The Bureau of Meteorology said maximum temperatures will be six to 12C above average over a broad stretch of southern Australia on Tuesday.
Tasmanian temperatures will drop back down to the low and mid 20C’s on Wednesday and continue through the rest of the week.
Hobart swelters as fire risk remains high
As the warm weather continues across Tasmania, swimmers are being urged to take care on the state’s beaches, with several rescues in recent days.
“We’ve had a number of call-outs from people on sailboards who are new to paddling who have gone to areas with strong winds and needed assistance,” said CEO of Surf Life Saving Tasmania Tony van den Enden.
“If people are on inflatable devices, stand-up paddle boards, kayaks, depending on which way the beach faces, the wind could blow them out to sea or outside of their comfort zone.”
After a scorching day on Saturday and a cooler day Sunday, temperatures are on the rise again with 21C forecast for Hobart on Monday before 30C on Tuesday. The hot weather and windy change has prompted the Bureau of Meteorology to maintain high fire danger warnings across the state.
Last year, Surf Life Saving Tasmania completed more than 70 rescues and several thousand preventive actions.
Mr van den Enden said it was still males and young children being caught in drownings.
“Just, stop, look, and plan is our key message,” he said.
He urged anyone heading out to visit Beachsafe.org.au.
Patrol Captain at Clifton Beach Eldene O’Shea was on duty over the weekend. He said they were prepared for the heatwave forecast for Tuesday.
“We’ll have a patrol down here, we expect very similar conditions in terms of the sun as well and with people on school holidays enjoying the beach,” he said
Mr O’Shea encouraged everyone to stay safe.
Bureau of Meteorology High fire danger ratings are still in place around the state, with the Tasmania Fire Service responding to bushfires at Cloudy Bay Lagoon, Bruny Island and Bonnet Bay, Lake Pedder.
Regional Fire Controller Phil Smith said a range of resources including fire trucks and aircraft had been used in the response.
“Fire crews have worked hard to get good containment lines around the South Bruny fire, which has burnt approximately 8ha.”
Fire Danger Ratings are elevated for the next few days in #Tasmania, particularly on Sunday and Wednesday. They might not be the hottest days, but brisk southwesterly winds and relatively dry conditions are enough to elevate fire weather conditions in #Tasmania@TasFireServicepic.twitter.com/hhVi7GbLzU
— Bureau of Meteorology, Tasmania (@BOM_Tas) January 14, 2023
“We have had 40 people responding with 10 fire trucks, one dozer and three aircraft,” Mr Smith said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The Bureau of Meteorology said Tasmania will experience moderate to high fire ratings on Monday, with the highest through the Upper Derwent Valley.
Meteorologist Belinda House said the danger would not be as high as it was on Sunday.
“We could see our fire danger rating reach high across most districts across Tasmania and that’s because it is windy and the air is dry, so not very humid.”
“The forecast for Tuesday is looking to be another hot day for the South of the state so we’ll see temperatures climbing into the low and mid-30s so similar temperatures from Saturday,” Ms House said.
“Like on Sunday, we’re going to see another windy change which will contribute to the high fire danger to most parts on Wednesday.”
Forecast
HOBART
Tuesday: Sunny, 12-30C
Wednesday: Shower or two, 19-23C
Thursday: Cloudy, 11-18C
Friday: Partly cloudy, 12-20C
Saturday: Partly cloudy, 13-21C
Sunday: Partly cloudy, 14-22C
LAUNCESTON
Tuesday: Cloudy, 13-29C
Wednesday: Shower or two, 19-26C
Thursday: Mostly sunny, 11-23C
Friday: Cloudy, 11-23C
Saturday: Partly cloudy, 13-24C
Sunday: Partly cloudy, 12-26C
BURNIE
Tuesday: Shower or two, 14-21C
Wednesday: Shower or two, 17-20C
Thursday: Mostly sunny, 10-18C
Friday: Cloudy, 11-18C
Saturday: Partly cloudy, 13-19C
Sunday: Partly cloudy, 13-20C
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