Severe Heatwave Warning over much of Queensland, Australia
A Severe Heatwave Warning remains in effect across much of Queensland on Saturday, November 9, 2024, with heat impacting northern, central, and southeast regions, and expected to contract toward the northwest over the coming days. High humidity will intensify the heat in coastal areas, with the warning in place through Tuesday, November 12.
Image credit: JMA/Himawari-9, Zoom Earth, The Watchers. Acquired at 05:30 UTC on November 9, 2024
Widespread heatwave conditions continue across parts of northern, central, and southeast Queensland, with severe conditions contracting into the northwest over the next few days. Humidity will remain a notable factor near the coast.
As of 14:13 LT on Saturday, a Severe Heatwave Warning is in effect for the Peninsula, Gulf Country, Northern Goldfields and Upper Flinders, Capricornia, Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, North West, Maranoa and Warrego, Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Wide Bay and Burnett, and Southeast Coast districts.
The warning is in effect through Tuesday, November 12.
Daytime high temperatures will range from the upper 30s to the low 40s °C (90 to 104 °F), while nighttime lows will be in the mid to high 20s °C (70 °F), dropping to the mid-teens to low 20s °C (70 °F) in the southeastern areas.
Inland areas won’t get much relief from the heat over the weekend, but coastal areas, like Rockhampton, can expect a gradual drop in peak temperatures.
Severe heatwave conditions are expected to ease in the southern parts of the state over the weekend but will likely continue in central and northern regions next week.
While the Channel Country has seen some relief, low-intensity heatwave conditions remain in the northeast of that area.
Queensland Health has issued an emergency heatwave alert for Brisbane’s metropolitan area and surrounding regions, including Cloncurry, Charleville, Dalby, Georgetown, Longreach, Roma, Stanthorpe, Toowoomba, Winton, and Warwick where temperatures are expected between 30 and 40 °C (90 and 104 °F).
Brisbane was forecast to reach 33 °C (91 °F) on Friday, while Ipswich was expected to hit 38 °C (100 °), with humidity making it worse. 40 °C (104 °F) was forecast for Northern Queensland on Friday, while Darwin was expected to reach 35 °C (95 °F), and parts of the Pilbara in Western Australia are seeing temperatures in the 40s °C (100s °F).
“The temperatures are at levels usually seen in the middle of summer. It’s very warm for November with temperatures three to six degrees above average and even up to ten above average for some inland areas,” said Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) senior forecaster Felim Hannify.
Lachlan Parker, director of clinical policy at Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS), has warned residents to be mindful of the serious risks of extreme heat.
References:
1 Heatwave Warning for Queensland – BOM – November 8 and 9, 2024
2 Australia baking through hottest spring weather in years as BOM predicts summer scorcher – ABC – November 8, 2024
3 Experts urge people to stay indoors and hydrated as heatwave rolls across much of Australia – ABC – November 8, 2024
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