Heatwave to Sweep Through Cities
Heatwave conditions will sweep across Australia later this week, bringing scorching temperatures to nearly every capital city.
Hot air being dragged from northern Australia is set to reach the southern states today and the east coast later in the week.
The mercury will soar to 31°C in Adelaide and up to an expected 36°C tomorrow, while Melbourne will reach 33°C tomorrow. In Sydney, temperatures in the CBD will soar to 33°C on Friday, but it will reach up to 37°C in the city’s western suburbs.
Brisbane is forecast for a top of 33°C on Saturday. Sea breezes should prevent the Queensland capital from getting too hot, however humidity will be high enough to make it feel a couple of degrees warmer than the mercury shows. Perth will experience temperatures in the mid-20s until Saturday when the mercury is forecast to climb to 32°C. Temperatures in Canberra will hit 31°C on Thursday and Friday before cooling dramatically on the weekend. Conditions across southern and eastern states will ease by Sunday.
Meanwhile, the weather system over the Northern Territory is already causing near-record temperatures. Two days ago, Darwin airport recorded its second hottest day on record for a Monday. The mercury reached a top of 38.2°C there at 12.30pm, shortly before a sea breeze dropped the temperature by a few degrees and raised the relative humidity.
This was the site’s second highest temperature in 78 years of records, beaten only by 38.9°C in October 1982.
Maximum temperatures in Darwin are forecast to reach the mid30s from yesterday until they dip from today.
The NSW Rural Fire Service advises six bush fires in the state’s north remain under control. The advice was issued for blazes in the Armidale, RIchmond Valley, Narrabri and Midl-Coast local government areas.