HEATWAVE MELTS ANOTHER RECORD
Above-average temperatures to remain
AMY Hustwick found a cool, shady spot under the palm trees at Trinity Beach as the Far North sizzled through extreme heat at the weekend. The temperature hit 40C in Cairns to set a new Cairns February record on Saturday.
A RECORD maximum temperature was broken on Saturday during a severe heatwave throughout the Far North, and more above-average temperatures are on their way, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
The mercury pipped 40C about 3.32pm on Saturday in Cairns, and after taking into consideration the 33 per cent humidity, the apparent temperature at the time was 41.5C.
The new record high for Cairns in February eclipsed the previous record of 39.7C, which was recorded on Friday at Cannon Park. Bureau forecaster Kimba Wong said temperatures for Cairns were expected to cool off slightly today, yet still remain around the February average of 31C.
“Those conditions should start to gradually ease over the next few days because we’ve got a trough that’s going to be moving north and should bring about showers and storms from (Monday),” she said.
“It’ll still be one or two degrees above average for the next several days, but significantly cooler than what it has been. Particularly (today and tomorrow), there’s the chance of some heavier rainfall totals through showers and thunderstorms.
“Those heatwave conditions are contracting off to the west and out of the state during this week so there are no predicted heatwave conditions for this week.”
The bureau reported that 69mm of rainfall fell in one hour at Millaa Millaa yesterday while, the bureau’s Cairns radar had been out of service since 5pm on Saturday, due to a communications fault.
Technicians were working to get the radar back online, expecting it to be fixed by 5pm today.
Despite the sweltering conditions, 20-year-old Bentley Park woman Amy Hustwick said she enjoyed “the beautiful day”.
“We celebrated my Grandma’s birthday by having a breakfast picnic at Trinity Beach,” she said.
“It was a lot hotter than I expected but it was still nice to get out and enjoy the weather.
“Unfortunately, the beach was closed due to the stingers so we couldn’t swim.
“But I had a blow-up pool at home so I just chilled there for the rest of the day.”
A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said paramedics responded to four calls of “initial” heat-related illnesses over the weekend in the Far North.