Australian Severe Weather Forum

Hot conditions for parts of Victoria 11 to 14 November 2009

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting maximum temperatures of between 40C and 43C for Mildura between 11 and 14 November and 40C to 42C for Swan Hill for the period 12 to 14 November. In addition, places like Albury Wodonga, Wangaratta, Shepparton, Echuca and other centres across the northern plains of the state are forecast to receive hot conditions as well with temperatures of between 35C and 39C expected for the period.

This is unusually warm for November.

Maximum temperatures were between 35C to 36C across the Mallee / Wimmera region of the state 9/11/09 at 3 pm while other centres enjoyed temperatures in the low to mid 30s.

Harley Pearman

More hot November weather for Victoria 10/11/2009

Very warm to hot conditions prevailed again over large areas of the state of Victoria and South West New South Wales. In particular, maximum temperatures for the day include:-

Albury Wodonga - 35C, Kerang - 37.9C, Melbourne - 36.3C, Mildura - 38.5C and Yarrawonga - 37.3C.

Even in south west New South Wales, maximum temperatures peaked at 38C or 39C in a few localities.

North West Victoria is expected to swelter in 40C temperatures until the close of Saturday with an expected cool change on Sunday. The Bureau of Meteorology is still forecasting 40C tomorrow for Mildura and is still forecasting 40C to 43C temperatures here for the next four days.

Other centres across the north of the state including Bendigo, Kerang, Shepparton and Wangaratta are forecast to have maximum temperatures of between 36C and 39C sometime during the next four days.

With the high temperatures, I have been reading various reports of a few bushfires burning, rising fire dangers and the rapid drying of grass and bushland areas outside the towns and cities.

Harley Pearman

Hot November weather across Victoria and parts of NSW - 11/11/2009

Hot to very hot conditions have prevailed across inland South West New South Wales and Northern and North West Victoria again. For November, some places have experienced the first 40C day of the season including Mildura, Ouyen and Swan Hill. Maximum temperatures here were around the 40C to 41C for the 3 pm official readings. (BOM Weather Stations and data bases checked)

Kerang also topped 41C, Nhill 39C and Bendigo and Yarrawonga had reached 38C by 3 pm. It reached 36C at Albury Wodonga and Melbourne again topped 33C.

Balranald and Pooncarrie in South West New South Wales topped the state on 42C.

Hot conditions are expected again at Mildura where another day of 40C temperatures are forecast for 12/11/09.

It has even been hot in Adelaide with 39C maximum temperatures occurring or forecast.

It is also expected to warm up across Western Sydney for 12/11/09 with peak temperatures of between 32 and 35C expected.

Harley Pearman

I see Adelaide is now expecting the continuation of a heatwave that started last Sunday to last until next Sunday - a total of 8 days in a row with temperatures over 35 degrees. And it's only November.

We got up to 38.6 degrees yesterday and have a forecast for daily temps to reach 38-39 until Tuesday when it should still get to 34. A very hot five days coming up for us.

Hot conditions for 12 November 2009

Hot to very hot conditions prevailed across the same regions of New South Wales and Victoria today.

At 3 pm temperatures at selected centres include:-

Mildura and Swan Hill - 41C. Walpeup had reached 42C. Temperatures of 40C to 42C was common across the Mallee region of the state. Nhill had reached 39C. Places across the Northern Country had reached between 38C and 40C including Echuca, Shepparton and Yarrawonga. It was a little cooler at Bendigo on 35C. Melbourne reached 32C.

In South West New South Wales, a temperature of 44C was recorded at 3 pm at Ivanhoe, 43C at Pooncarie and Wilcania and 41C at Balranald and Broken Hill. It even reached 40C at Wagga Wagga and the Central West experienced peak temperatures of between 37C and 39C. Some of the heat reached into Western Sydney before the cooler change with peak temperatures of between 35C and 38.4C occurring. Penrith was the hottest locality within the Sydney region.

Of interest if one wanted to escape the heat, Green Cape on the far South Coast only reached 22C due to the southerly change which is a significant contrast occurring elsewhere across the state.

Harley Pearman

More hot conditions for 13/11/2009

The hot weather eased over much of Victoria for 13/11/2009 although it was still warm across the northern and north west regions of the state. The warmest localities were Mildura and Walpeup where it reached 37C for the day. Across the north of the state, peak temperatures hovered between 32C and 36C for the 3 pm readings.

However in New South Wales, hot to very hot conditions prevailed across the west and far west of the state. In particular, temperatures had reached 41C at Fowlers Gap and 40C at Bourke at 3 pm. It was 39C at Balranald.

It was 39C at Adelaide in South Australia.

Today and tomorrow, peak temperatures are forecast to reach 40C at Mildura and 40C and 38C at Swan Hill in North West Victoria.

Of interest 16/11/2009 being a Monday is also expected to be warm again across Western Sydney with peak temperatures expected to reach up to 38C.

Harley Pearman

Heat continues across inland South East Australia 15/11/2009

The hot November weather conditions across inland South East Australia continues. Across inland New South Wales, peak temperatures at 3 pm include:-

Far West - 39C to 43C with Ivanhoe being the hottest place.
North West - 35C to 40C with Forbes being amongst the hottest places.
Riverina - 36C to 42C.

(Source BOM weather station data 3 pm for 15/11/2009).

The coast and ranges of New South Wales missed out due to the effects of another weak southerly change although it is expected to warm up across Western Sydney for 16/11/09 before another southerly change late in the afternoon.

Across Victoria, relief from the heat has occurred in the south but the north of the state continues to experience summertime temperatures. Across the North West, the 3 pm temperatures were around 40C to 41C at various localities. Localities situated across the Northern Country were experiencing temperatures of between 34C to 38C again.

Of interest, since the beginning of November, the regional city of Mildura in North West Victoria has experienced 5 days this month, 1 to 15 November where the maximum temperature has reached or exceeded 40C. So far this month, 1 - 14 November, the average daily maximum temperature for Mildura is currently 34.7C. (Source BOM Weather Station data 15/11/09).

At Swan Hill, it has reached 40C on 3 days this month during the same period.

Further, Melbourne City recently experienced 5 days in a row of 30C temperatures from 7 to 11 November.

Many places across the north of the state such as Albury Wodonga, Echuca, Mildura, Shepparton and Swan Hill have average daily maximum temperatures exceeding 30C so far this month. (Source BOM Weather station data 1 to 14 November).

It appears that a more significant change late in the week will see relief from the heat right across the state although not before more hot weather and 40C temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday.
 
Harley Pearman

Hi guys,

Definitely some crazy temps around the place!

We've been in the low 40's for a few days now and looks to be continuing until the weekend. Yesterday (16th Nov. 2009) it reached 42.4˚c on my thermometers around 3:30pm EDT. Some partial thundery cells and tiny hail came through by 6:30pm EDT.

Today (17th Nov. 2009) it was 38˚c by 10am EDT. Currently at the Ridge the temperature is stable at 43˚c. Isolated storms are on the cards so I'm looking forward to some electrical severity as is usual out here in these temps driving the convection.

Take care and try to keep cool!
Shauno.

Media release just posted by BoM regarding NSW...

Wednesday 18 November 2009

Significant Weather Media Release
Excessive Heat across NSW

The heatwave affecting southern and western parts of NSW will extend eastward and peak over the next few days as hot northerly winds persist over southeast Australia.

Very hot conditions will affect most of the state with daytime temperatures reaching into the forties. Only the coastal fringe, where sea breezes prevail, will escape the worst of the heat.

A weak change will enter the southwest of the state on Saturday bringing cloud, showers and near average temperatures to southern and western parts. However the hot conditions will persist over the remainder of the State into the early part of next week.

Severe to Extreme fire weather conditions are expected across inland parts of NSW including the ACT and possibly extending into the Hunter Valley on Friday and Western Sydney on Saturday.

NSW Rural Fire Service Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said, "Given the dry conditions in many parts of the state and erratic fire behaviour we have seen in the last week, I have concerns about fires taking hold quickly and being difficult to control.

Residents of NSW need to be prepared for bush fires. Fires in these conditions will move rapidly and may threaten without warning. It is important that new outbreaks of fire are reported to Triple Zero (000) immediately."

New daily maximum temperature records for November have already been set at Wilcannia (45.2ºC) and Broken Hill (43.4ºC) on 16 November. Many stations across NSW are likely to set new November daily maximum temperature records over the next two days, Griffith and Cobar are both forecast to exceed their record temperatures on Thursday with temperatures of 45ºC. Broken Hill is likely to smash it's very recent record, set Tuesday, with 45ºC forecast for Thursday.

In addition to daily temperature records many sites across southwestern NSW are now setting records for a consecutive number of very hot days in November. Locations such as Hay, Deniliquin and Balranald have now experienced a record 8 days in a row above 35ºC. Broken Hill has set a record of 9 consecutive days over 35ºC and 6 consecutive days over 38ºC. With high temperatures forecast to persist in this region until at least Saturday these records are likely to be significantly extended.

November heat continues

I was in Canberra on Monday and again Wednesday and noted how dry it was there. Given the lack of rain and the high temperatures, fires are a real possibility for the Canberra region. It reached 34C in Canberra Monday afternoon as hot NW winds prevailed which was well above the average for the month.

I have been looking at some monthly average November temperatures for some localities across South West New South Wales using the Bureau of Meteorology weather station sites and some are remarkable for the month as shown. All temperatures are well above the November average. All the places mentioned have experienced 11 to 13 consecutive days in a row where the maximum daily temperature has reached 30C or higher to 18/11/09.

Locality                 Average daily maximum temperature 1 - 18 November 2009.

Albury Airport       31.8C
Balranald              35.3C
Broken Hill            35.4C
Griffith                 35C
Hay                       35.2C              
Wagga Wagga       34.1C.

On 18/11/09, it reached 45C at Tibooburra and Wanaaring in North West New South Wales and 44C at Broken Hill.

A cool change change will progress slowly across the state on Saturday / Sunday bringing relief and maybe some shower / storm / rain activity.

Harley Pearman

Weather review for 19/11/2009

The 3 pm Bureau of Meteorology weather station readings for 19/11/2009 for various sites and localities include:-

Far West New South Wales 41C to 46C being recorded at various towns. A reading of 45.7C at Bourke Airport has broken a peak temperature record for November that was set on 30 November 1936 of 45.6C (Source - BOM 19/11/2009 Daily Weather Review).

- Central West New South Wales - Maximum temperatures of 39C to 42C being recorded at various towns.
- Riverina - Maximum temperatures of 40C to 42C being recorded at various towns.
- South West slopes - Maximum temperatures of 32C to 41C being recorded. They include 40C at Albury Airport, the first such 40C day this season and 41C at Wagga Wagga. After today, a slow moving cooler change should bring some shower / rain / storm activity across this region ending the current hot spell.

- Western Sydney - Penrith and Richmond had reached 38C and Badgereys Creek 37C.

Interesting Sydney Observatory Hill at 3 pm had the coldest temperature reading at 3 pm of all the Australian capital cities being 26C. Position and effect of the sea breeze has kept the maximum temperature down. Even Hobart reached 31C at 3 pm 19/11/2009. Of interest, Green Cape on the far South Coast recorded 21C at 3 pm and hence this is the location to be to escape the heat.

I have generated the "Maximum Temperature Anomaly Plot" for the week ending 17 November 2009 to show what has been happening across South Eastern Australia from the Bureau of Meteorology site "Water and The Land". It shows that much of Victoria, inland New South Wales and South Australia has been experiencing temperature anomalies of some 6C above the normal November average for the past week. Even Canberra being elevated at 630 metres above sea level has been experiencing the same conditions. Only the New South Wales east coast and Southern Victoria has escaped the worst of the heat.

Harley Pearman

Yesterday our peak temperature hit 41.2 degrees celcius at 6pm. There was much raised dust in the air and the sky remained red until about 5pm. When the dust cleared the temperature soared.

Today is very similar with a lot of raised dust in the air again. Current temp is 39.6 and it is only 12.35pm.
We are eagerly anticipating the cooler change that is supposed to come through later this afternoon/evening with showers and storms.
 
The fire danger (fire weather warning) for the Riverina today is Catastrophic 100+ which is not good news with the storm forecast.

Heat reaches Western Sydney 20/11/2009

The cool change is now starting to be felt across Southern New South Wales with a significant band of cloud, some showers / rain / storms and dust storms as observed by Kristy. It will be cooler there tomorrow.

At Albury Airport, the peak temperature was 37.9C at 2 pm. However further north, it reached 40.8C at Wagga Wagga at 12.53 pm (Source BOM Weather Station data 20/11/09). Further north and away from southern New South Wales, high temperatures continued again and it was still 41C at Dubbo in Central West New South Wales near 6 pm.

The heat arrived into Western Sydney with Blacktown reaching 40.6C prior to the mid afternoon thunderstorm, Liverpool 41.4C, Parramatta 39.2C and Penrith 42.1C. Hence this was the first 40C day for the season for western Sydney. It was cooler on the coastal fringe.

Saturday will still be warm for Western Sydney with one more hot day forecast for Sunday for Sydney before an end to the current warm spell.

Harley Pearman

Here my closest weather station at Olympic Park went down to 31.0 at 10pm, now showing 32.6 since the hot northerly wind fired up. I suspect the forecast minimum of 23 at Parramatta is unlikely unless the southerly forecast for dawn drops things quite late in the overnight period.

We had storms that didn't really cool it down, now a hot wind change. Glad the aircon is on feeding the bedroom!