Yesterday was 37 degrees Celsius here in Canberra, today the same, tomorrow the same, Saturday a tad warmer, Sunday a tad cooler. That's a tick under 100 degrees F for those unfamilar with the Celsius scale. In fact:
But that's nothing compared to what Adelaide and Melbourne are getting.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st … 01,00.html
To add to that, the winds do have a bit of a kick to them - 30km/h plus.
If this all this sounds a little familiar to some Australians, it should.
First - we're still in the middle of summer. If this keeps up we could have a truly catastrophic fire season, we've got off pretty lucky last year.
Second - I'm paranoid about fires, with good reason. (I still have the photos I think and we still have the remains of the old fence). Even as I look out my window now I can see the telltale signs of smoke haze (I shit you not)
To the rest of the aussies here: stay safe this fire season. clean out your gutters.
That's crazy heat for a full week. The winds, mercifully, are light-ish (10-20kmh)Bureau of Meteorology forecast for Canberra wrote:
Saturday Fine, mostly sunny. Min 18 Max 38
Sunday Possible afternoon shower. Min 18 Max 36
Monday Possible afternoon or overnight shower. Min 18 Max 34
Tuesday Possible afternoon shower. Min 18 Max 34
Wednesday Possible afternoon shower. Min 18 Max 36
Thursday Possible afternoon shower. Min 18 Max 37
But that's nothing compared to what Adelaide and Melbourne are getting.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/st … 01,00.html
THE soaring temperature in Adelaide has threatened the national capital city record of 46.2C, set in Perth in 1991.
As a heatwave gripped southern Australia, the mercury in Adelaide pushed above today's forecast of 44C, threatening a record set in the city in 1939.
Temperatures in the CBD and suburbs topped 40C at about 10am, reaching 45.5C just before 2pm, before dropping back to 45.2C.
The hottest temperature recorded in Adelaide was 46.1C, 70 years ago, which is still cooler than the state's record of 50.7C, set at Oodnadatta in 1960.
This is the second day in a row in which SA temperatures have topped 40C, with the Australian Bureau of Meteorology tipping temperatures to be above the heatwave benchmark until at least Sunday.
The heatwave in Victoria is also expected to last several days and be the region's worst since 1908, raising fears of heat-related deaths and bushfires following years of drought.
To add to that, the winds do have a bit of a kick to them - 30km/h plus.
If this all this sounds a little familiar to some Australians, it should.
Now, I don't think this current heatwave will start anything like that (the winds aren't strong enough), but there are reasons to be cautious.The Ash Wednesday fires were a natural disaster that occurred in south-eastern Australia on 16 February 1983. Within twelve hours, more than 180 fires fanned by winds of up to 110 km (68 mph) per hour caused widespread destruction across the states of Victoria and South Australia.[3] Years of severe drought and extreme weather combined to create one of Australia’s worst fire days in a century. [4] The fires remain the worst bushfire disaster in Australian history, claiming 75 lives.
...
Burned area: 513,979 acres (2,080 km2) in South Australia and 518,921 acres (2,100 km2) in Victoria on one day. 1,284,000 acres (5,196 km2) burnt throughout the 1982/83 season.
First - we're still in the middle of summer. If this keeps up we could have a truly catastrophic fire season, we've got off pretty lucky last year.
Second - I'm paranoid about fires, with good reason. (I still have the photos I think and we still have the remains of the old fence). Even as I look out my window now I can see the telltale signs of smoke haze (I shit you not)
To the rest of the aussies here: stay safe this fire season. clean out your gutters.
Last edited by Spark (2009-01-29 00:47:06)
The paradox is only a conflict between reality and your feeling what reality ought to be.
~ Richard Feynman
~ Richard Feynman
