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Record heatwave in Australia – hottest start of the year in more than a century

record-heatwave-in-australia-hottest-start-of-the-year-in-more-than-a-century

Australians have been asked to heed safety advice from authorities as much of the country swelters through what is already shaping up to be a record-breaking heatwave.

South Australia is sweltering with the hottest start to the year in more than a century as a hot air mass which can sear vegetation moves across the state and into Victoria. The weather system is dragging heat from central Australia with it and causing humidity to plummet.

Weather conditions are so extreme that South Australia’s power distributor cut electricity to some communities to prevent bushfires yesterday, and it has not ruled out doing the same again today.

Yesterday’s power cuts meant that South Australia’s holiday haven towns on the state’s southern coast sweated through the soaring temperatures without the comfort of power to provide some relief. ETSA Utilities (Electricity Trust of South Australia) has defended the decision to cut off power to Victor Harbor and surrounding areas.

Spokesman Paul Roberts says ETSA has the legislative authority to cut power supplies when winds and heat combine to form a bushfire threat. “We take very seriously the decision to turn off power,” he said. “In the case for yesterday, we had a situation where the fire conditions were escalating, very strong winds and we had reports through the CFS (Country Fire Service) of trees down, and that can cause a major problem in bringing down electrical infrastructure. “Clearly we recognise that people are affected and inconvenienced by not having power, but I guess the alternative is too serious to think about. “And our alternative if we don’t act is, if it did result in perhaps someone being killed in a bushfire or extensive property damage, we would be held responsible and we’d be found negligent for not actually taking our responsibility and authority seriously and actually acting to attempt to prevent or minimise the risk of a bushfire.”

State Member for Finniss Michael Pengilly says many coastal communities had their power cut without warning. “It severely affected the communities down that way, particularly older people who rely on air conditioning and shop owners who lost all the refrigeration in the peak holiday season. So it’s been a major headache for them all day,” he said. “We have numerous nursing homes and residential buildings housing the aged on the Fleurieu and it was just very, very severe for them.

University of Newcastle meteorologist Martin Babakhan says the underlying cause of the extreme weather conditions is one of the driest air masses in the world, which is now making its way to Victoria. He says it can sear surrounding vegetation in a matter of hours and should not be taken lightly. “It becomes very, very dangerous in a fire situation,” he said. In some areas yesterday the temperature reached 40 degrees Celsius, the wind speed was 50 kilometres per hour, and relative humidity was just 21 per cent. “This is a unique situation, we could call it extreme fire conditions,” Mr Babakhan said. With the heatwave now moving on into Victoria, he says conditions in both states will remain very dangerous. “High winds tend to drag the fire up in the upper atmosphere and push it kilometres ahead of it and start spot fires and so on,” he warned. “So I reckon Victoria’s going to be affected by this on in a big way.”

Prime Minister Julia Gillard echoed public warnings issued by emergency services, local mayors and power companies this week as temperatures soared above 40 degrees with extreme UV index.

Find detailed info on bom.gov.au.

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11 Comments

  1. The whole of Australia is NOT experiencing a heatwave. Up here in Brisbane, we’ve been enjoying the mildest and coolest Christmas and start to the new year that we’ve had in decades. Our air conditioner sits idle, it’s so mild. At might, we’ve had to turn off the ceiling fan as it’s been too cool to run even on the lowest speed. Today is the first day that we’ve experienced a normal summer’s day. Stop the rampant alarmism. This is summer after all.

  2. I have lived in Adelaide for most of the last twenty years and this Spring and start of Summer doesn’t seem exceptional. Even when it is hot the nights are still tend to be cool

  3. Australia – Coldest summer in 50 years! (from 20 dec 2011)

    “Australians are shivering and trying to escape the rain in the coldest start to summer for 50 years.” “Bondi beach can get up to 40,000 sunbathers, swimmers and surfers on a good summer’s day, but on many occasions this December there have been only a handful of people on the sand or in the sea. “Two weeks ago, Brisbane recorded its coldest December day for 123 years.”

    See entire article:
    http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16133817

    Also, there are now (today and yesterday) freezing temperatures in southern Florida, New Orleans and coastal Louisiana. You on “the watchers” really should lay off the “global warming” bias, I see “climate change” on your site Ad nauseam!

  4. ADMIN: just curious if you were refering to me (justmeint) Promoting my own website? I certainly was not, I was castigating the original poster for the ususal media hype of it so very hot!!!! please feel free to contact me off list if you feel the need to.

    1. JustMeinT, no i don’t feel the need for that, but would like to point out that for one it is just information – and for another it is hyped out news. Peace!

  5. yet another PANIC NOW media report…. this is Australia it is always ultra hot in the summer……..
    I love a sunburnt country was written a very long time ago …. before all they hype over global warming and extreme weather conditions…… http://australianpoems.tripod.com/mycountry.html
    Don’t be mislead…… this is just hype and all for the purposes of raising taxes for a false flag Carbon Dioxide – pollution taxation scheme

    1. “Nothing happens unexpectedly, everything has an indication, we just have to observe the connections.” – Zsolt Boszormenyi, Head of RSOE EDIS
      ..
      and it’s not panic now media report it’s you promoting your website my friend. Glad we could help.

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