Updated Dec. 21, 2019 2:22 AM
Following a stretch of record-setting heat that toppled Australia's all-time record high not once, but twice, cooler air is set to arrive for parts of the country next week.
This past week brought two new records for the hottest day ever recorded across Australia. The record was first broken on Tuesday when the average maximum temperature across the country was 40.9 C (105.6 F). This record was broken on Wednesday with the average maximum temperature across the country was 41.9 C (107.4 F).
Prior to this week's record-breaking heat, the previous hottest day in Australia was on Jan. 7, 2013, when the average maximum temperature was 40.3 C (104.5 F) according to the Australia Bureau of Meteorology.
The high temperature in Nullarbor, South Australia, reached 50.0 C (122 F) on Friday. This fell just short of the all-time record high temperature for the country which sits at 50.7 C (123.3 F) set in Oodnadatta on Jan. 2, 1960.
Much of the country will continue to see extreme heat and high fire danger even as the heat eases in some areas.
Saturday is expected to be another difficult day for fire fighting across eastern New South Wales due to the hot, dry and windy conditions. Fires may quickly spread and burn erratically.
Anyone living in areas with high fire risk is urged to heed total fire bans set in place by the Australian government and remain vigilant to the threat for fast-moving fires.
The Australia Capitol Territory and Sydney will be among areas that are expected to see high temperatures soar to near or above 38 C (100 F). In addition to the heat, much of eastern New South Wales and southeast Queensland will have poor and quality and smoke haze due to the numerous brushfires burning across the region.
RELATED:
Much of the interior will continue to see temperatures above 40 C (104 F), with the hottest areas scorching with highs of 47 C (117 F).
Anyone outdoors during the hottest times of the day will need to drink plenty of fluids and take breaks from strenuous activities to lower the risk for heat-related illnesses.
Children and the elderly will be at the highest risk for heatstroke or heat exhaustion and should stay in air-conditioned locations when possible.
There will be some relief from the heat across southern South Australia and Victoria as a front brings a change to cooler weather and southerly winds.
A more widespread change to more comfortable conditions will come next week across eastern Australia as onshore wind brings cooler air off of the water.
Cities such as Adelaide, Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney are all expected to see less intense heat next week as the core of the extreme heat is pushed back into the interior.
Locations from Canberra to Sydney are expected to see high temperatures fall 10-15 degrees C (18-27 degrees F) for Sunday.
The onshore wind will also bring an increase in moisture which will help to fuel daily rounds of afternoon thunderstorms across eastern New South Wales and southeast Queensland. Any rainfall will be welcome in the effort of battling the numerous bushfires across the region, though lightning from storms may threaten to ignite new blazes. Also, gusty and erratic winds surrounding storms may cause fires to spread.
Tragically, two firefighters were killed when a truck rolled over on the frontline of a bushfire southwest of Sydney, according to 9 News. Eight other firefighters in New South Wales have been injured fighting the ongoing blazes.
According to the New South Wales government, a total of six people have died and nearly 800 homes have been destroyed by the fires this season.
The Gospers Mountain Fire is the largest fire and continued to burn out of control after charring nearly 450,000 hectares (1,111,974 acres). This fire alone has burned more than four times the area burned by all of the California wildfires in 2019.
As of Friday evening, there were still around 100 fires burning across New South Wales, many of which remained out of control.
In an attempt to limit new fires from developing and enhance firefighting efforts, New South Wales has total fire ban in place and has declared a state of emergency through Christmas Day.
No comments:
Post a Comment