South-east Aust heatwave 'among worst in 100 years'

[Swamp Wallaby]

South-east Aust heatwave 'among worst in 100 years'
28/01/2009 5:18:00 PM

Victoria and South Australia on Wednesday sweltered in a heatwave which is developing into one of the worst in 100 years.

Adelaide by midday had already exceeded its forecast 44deg.

It hit a peak of 45.7deg (114F) during the early afternoon.

SA country centres, all the way from the Mid-North across the farming areas to the South-East corner, copped equivalent heatwave temperatures.

All indications are for SA to be just as hot until the weekend, when a weak cooler change arrives, according to weatherzone.com.au.

If Adelaide also reaches 40 degrees on Thursday and Friday, it will equal the longest such hot spell in 101 years.

In January 2006 there were also four consecutive days of 40 or hotter.

In Victoria, emergency services remained on high alert as temperatures climbed into the 40s, too.

Melbourne reached a peak of 43.4deg - the hottest day in three years.

Victorian temperatures are forecast to reach similar maximums over the next four days.

It's that run of extreme temperatures which has weather forecasters talking about the heatwave being among the worst in 100 years in Victoria, too.

Laverton's temperature was sitting on 41 at midday and still climbing, with many Victorian temperatures recorded in the mid 40s farther north across the state.

"Nhill, for instance, hit 41 degrees by midday," weatherzone.com.au meteorologist Matt Pearce said.

"Northerly winds carried extremely hot air down from the interior of the continent towards Victoria.

"These northerlies are the result of a persistent and slow-moving high pressure system out in the Tasman Sea.

"This high looks like remaining in place for the next week.

"So we are expecting this extremely hot weather to persist right through into the weekend."

In addition to the high temperatures, the dry northerly winds are also sending fire dangers to extreme levels in many districts.

As a result, a total fire ban is in force for the North Eastern, Central, North Western and South Western Total Fire Ban Districts.

"The bad news is that there is no rain in sight for the parched state," Pearce said.

"Coming hot on the heels of one of the driest springs in years, the lack of rainfall through January and now heading into February is a cause for some concern."

http://fw.farmonline.com.au/news/na...eatwave-among-worst-in-100-years/1418563.aspx


They're playing up the hundred-years thing, of course, but it's still bloody hot down here. And dry, dry, dry. Keep your fingers crossed for us, folks - it only takes one idiot to light a match...

 

[Swamp Wallaby]

More than 150 trains cancelled as heat cripples rail network
UPDATE 8:54pm: CONNEX said frustrating delays suffered by commuters today are likely to continue well into tomorrow.

The train operator's staff faced abuse from commuters as sizzling heat crippled trains, while power blackouts hit the city.

Hundreds of peak-hour commuters faced major delays as searing 43C heat buckled train lines, shutting down Melbourne's public transport system.

Connex spokesperson John Rees said around 150 trains were cancelled today.

He anticipated more cancellations and a spate of train delays tomorrow as maintenance crews repaired faulty trains.

...

The rail dramas began about 1pm as temperatures in Melbourne surged past 40C.

The mercury hit 43.1in Melbourne about 4.30pm, with the extreme heat sparking fires and stopping play at the tennis.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24975651-661,00.html


Of course, they will schedule the Australian Open for the hottest part of summer (idiots). Apparently this is the first time the extreme weather rule has been needed - play stops when the ambient temperature hits 41C, I think (thats about 106F). You could probably have fried an egg on the court surface today!

 

[Swamp Wallaby]

http://www.theage.com.au/national/h...ain-tram--services-20090128-7r9i.html?page=-1

Fun job!

 

[NC Susan]

40 celcius is about 105 farneheit

 

[gdpetti]

Maybe they can switch places with those on the other side of the country where those cyclones have come ashore. Extremes on both ends.

 

[Swamp Wallaby]

Just an update, for anyone who might be interested

Heatwave record set in Melbourne

Melbourne has experienced a record heatwave, with three days over 43 degrees this week and the CBD reaching 44.2 degrees at 2:30pm AEST.

Weather bureau spokesman Mark Williams says there has not been a heatwave of this severity since the keeping of records in the mid-1880s.

"It's the most intense heatwave in Melbourne that we've ever observed," he said.

"They get those sort of temperatures in northern Victoria and central Australia all the time, but it's new for Melbourne."

Laverton and Moorabbin airport have recorded 44.5 degrees and it has hit 45 degrees at Avalon.

Train operator Connex says 310 rail services have been cancelled across Melbourne today, as the system tries to cope with the hot weather, and further delays and cancellations are again expected during the evening peak.

Crews have been hosing down train tracks during the day to try to ease the problem of expanding and contracting rails.

More than 1,000 services have been cancelled since Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile in the La Trobe Valley, temperatures have reached 44.1 degrees, while Mildura has had 42.7 degrees.

At least 35,000 customers throughout Victoria are without electricity this afternoon.

National electricity marketer NEMMCO has ordered energy providers to shed load to ease demand on the state's power grid.

The outage is expected to last about an hour but some households may experience power disruptions during the evening.

{snip}

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/01/30/2478827.htm?section=business


It hit 44.5C under my front verandah yesterday - that's 112F. I'm seriously considering moving to Tasmania!

 

[Swamp Wallaby]

Houses destroyed, records broken in heatwave

January 30, 2009
Article from: Australian Associated Press

HOMES have been destroyed by a bushfire in Victoria amid a heatwave that continues to take its toll on Australia's southeast.

Up to five homes were destroyed by bushfires at Boolarra North, east of Melbourne, as the state experienced a third consecutive day of extreme temperatures.

Melbourne again endured a top temperature above 43 degrees, marking the first time since records began in 1855 that the city notched up three consecutive days so hot.

The mercury reached 45.1 degrees in Melbourne at 4.27pm (AEDT) today.

Tasmania recorded its hottest-ever temperature, 42.2 degrees at Scamander in the state's northeast, while Adelaide reached 43.1 degrees at 2.36pm (CDT/1506 AEDT).

Today's searing heat kept ambulance staff busy - in Victoria, 60 patients needed ambulances in a 16-hour period after suffering the effects of heat exposure.

In South Australia, some homes and businesses suffered power cuts as the National Electricity Market Management Company (NEMMCO) strived to maintain services in the face of record demand.

It was the second day in a row that power cuts were required, after supplies to an estimated 95,000 homes in more than 40 suburbs were turned off for short periods yesterday.

NEMMCO also directed that power be cut to 42,000 Melbourne homes today.

There were fears of further power cuts as a bushfire in Endeavour Hills threatened high-voltage lines that supply two-thirds of Melbourne's power.

Lifesavers in Victoria for the first time extended their patrols to weeknights to watch over people trying to cool down after work.

"This is an unprecedented response to extraordinary circumstances brought on by extreme weather conditions," said Life Saving Victoria spokesman Guy Britt.

Animals were also feeling the heat.

The RSPCA issued an alert that birds and possums were becoming heat-stressed.

"Sadly these animals are not coping in this one-in-a-100-year hot spell," the organisation said in a statement.

Figures released by Melbourne Water showed water consumption soared as residents battled the heat, with Melburnians using an average of 207 litres per day.

The daily water use is well above the Government's target of 155 litres per person per day.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24984926-12377,00.html

 

[gdpetti]

Here's some from the other side of the country... fair use http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=a9YqTpvrPh1Q&refer=australia

Australia’s Far Northwest Braces for Fourth Tropical Cyclone

By Angela Macdonald-Smith

Feb. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Australia’s northwest is set for its fourth tropical cyclone of the season, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning a low-pressure system may develop tomorrow into a cyclone, potentially threatening oil and gas operations.

MEO Australia Ltd., exploring in the Timor Sea off Australia’s north, started evacuating a drill-rig at the Zeus-1 well in the Carnarvon Basin, it said today in a statement to the Australian stock exchange. The rig had only been back in operation for about two days since a stoppage for the last cyclone, Dominic.

Australia’s northwest, location of most of the country’s oil, gas and iron ore production, is expected to experience more tropical cyclones than average this season, according to an October forecast by the weather bureau. The region may have five to seven cyclones from November through April, up from four last season, it said.

The low-pressure system off the west Kimberley coast may strengthen to cyclone intensity tomorrow as it moves out to sea, the Canberra-based bureau said on its Web site. Gales may develop tomorrow, it said, declaring a “cyclone watch” for coastal areas from Kalumburu to Broome.

On the other side of Australia, rains falling in the aftermath of another tropical cyclone, Ellie, have caused the worst flooding in 30 years in the far north of Queensland, the Townsville Bulletin reported. The town has been cut off to the north, south and west after 300 millimeters of overnight rain, it said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Angela Macdonald-Smith in Sydney at amacdonaldsm@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: February 3, 2009 00:14 EST

 

[Swamp Wallaby]

Final report (I hope) on the biggest bushfire of those that started in the heatwave

Gippsland bushfires finally contained
Posted Tue Feb 3, 2009 9:15pm AEDT


Victorian firefighting authorities say they have finally contained the Gippsland bushfires.

Since being ignited last week by arsonists, the fires have burnt almost 6,500 hectares and destroyed 30 homes, 87 sheds and 10 cars.

The Country Fire Authority's Alan Rankin says the 6,000-hectare Delburn fire in central Gippsland has been contained.

"There will continue to be a significant presence on it for a number of days yet to ensure the fire is thoroughly blacked out and the edges are well secured," he said.

"Today crews have been using forward-looking infra-red cameras and thermal imaging cameras to identify hot spots and then direct crews to those hot spots to break them up and extinguish them."

Lightning caused about 100 new fires yesterday and 11 today.

A community meeting is being held in Boolarra tonight to assist bushfire victims and outline the recovery effort.

The State Government has announced a $100,000 reward to help catch the person responsible for the bushfires.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon says she is hoping the reward will lead to some arrests.

"What we're hoping the reward will do with for people to come forward, perhaps give their names, we've had anonymous information, so that we can actually continue to pursue the matter," she said.

"The more important part is any tools that we can use that encourage the community to give us information, particularly about this matter, we hope that that will prove positive."

Charges of intentionally starting a bushfire carry a maximum term of 15 years in prison.

Police and the State Government have ruled out introducing a register of known arsonists.

Police Minister Bob Cameron has urged anyone with information about the cause of the fires to come forward.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/02/03/2481566.htm?section=justin


Arson! Bloody maniacs should be charged with attempted murder. Apparently the bastards actually re-lit the fires after they started to die down. ( ref http://www.theage.com.au/national/arsonists-relit-devastating-gippsland-fires-20090202-7vrj.html ) Prison's too good for them.