Topic: Victoria bushfires 7 February 2009, record heatwave for SA, VIC, TAS and NSW 27 Jan to 8 Feb 2009

[Michael Bath]

Tasmania has broken its highest ever temp again today.....

Tasmania has set a record high temperature for the second day in a row.

In the state's Midlands, the temperature in the town of Ross has hit 41.6 degrees.

Yesterday the mercury reached record levels on Flinders Island.

Melanie Webb from the Bureau of Meteorology says St Helens on the east coast has recorded 41 degrees, and Fingal in the north east 41.3.

She says it's the second day in a row Fingal's temperature has been above 40, only the second time that's ever happened in Tasmania.

But she's told ABC Local Radio the Midlands have been the hottest.

"The hottest today was 41.6 at Ross and that beats the state maximum record of yesterday, 41.5 at Flinders Island."

- ABC

EDIT: Scamander (on the NE Coast of Tas) max to 1500 confirmed at 42.2

[Jimmy Deguara]

Hi Macca,

I think the end to the heatwave (which was part of the conditions leading up to the Ash Wednesday bushfires of 1983) was quite spectacular.  I recall some quite substantial flooding in southern Victoria - based on my childhood memories alone - I don't have any weather information to support this - does any one else care to comment (who may be slightly older than I) based on either data or memories?

The 1983 episode if my memory serves me correctly seems to have occurred one month later than this event - heat waves in February and early march - yes low 40's in early March across South Australia and Victoria and then followed by that awesome monsoonal troughs! February was also hot of course and so was January! Storm wise it was as bad if not worse than this summer so I can some similarities!

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

[Colin Maitland]

It is interest to note that this current weather event has resulted in each state or territory having a coastal wind warnings. Flood warnings etc. There is fires, floods, monsoonal activity. What will the end result be.  Definately a history making event that we are witnessing. 


This page last updated at:-
Friday January 30 2009 07:25 UTC (GMT) -- January 30 2009 18:25 EDT -- January 30 2009 17:55 CDT -- January 30 2009 16:25 WDT --



   
NSW and ACT

    * Warnings current:
    * Coastal Wind Warning 1,
    * Fire Weather Warning 1,
    * Flood Warning - Paroo River.


Northern Territory

    * Warnings current:
    * Severe Weather Warning 1,
    * Flood Threat Advice.


Queensland

    * Warnings current:
    * Ocean Wind Warning 1,
    * Coastal Wind Warning 1,
    * Flood Warning - Tully River,
    * Flood Warning - Herbert River,
    * Flood Warning - Diamantina River,
    * Flood Warning - Georgina/Eyre Ck,
    * Flood Warning - Gulf Rivers,
    * Queensland flood warning summary.


South Australia

    * Warnings current:
    * Coastal Wind Warning 1,
    * Ocean Wind Warning,
    * Fire Ban Advice,
    * Inland Flood Warning.


Tasmania

    * Warnings current:
    * Coastal wind warning 1,
    * Boating Weather - Wind Alert SW and Central Plateau Lakes,
    * Fire Weather Warning - 2.


Victoria

    * Warnings current:
    * Coastal Waters Wind Warning for Victorian waters between Mallacoota and 60nm east of Gabo Island,
    * Ocean Wind Warning,
    * Fire Weather Warning for Western, North Central, Northern Country, Wimmera, Mallee, Central, West and South Gippsland and Northeast forecast districts,
    * Fire Ban.


Western Australia

    * Warnings current:
    * Ocean Wind Warning 1,
    * Ocean Wind Warning 2,
    * Western Australia Flood Summary,
    * Flood Watch - Goldfields District,
    * Flood Warning - Gascoyne River Catchment,
    * Flood Warning - Fitzroy River Catchment.

http://www.bom.gov.au/weather/warnings.shtml

[Harley Pearman]

A good point has been raised of this current heatwave so I have been looking at some historical records.

January 1939 Conditions

After the fires and heat of January 1939, I found an old front page newspaper article dated 16 February 1939 that indicates that heavy rain fell over Victoria on that day, 16 February 1939. That can be found at:-

http://www.abc.net.au/blackfriday/timeline/html_tl_1939_32.htm

You need to scroll to 1939 and then scroll along the headings to find the various storeys and weather conditions during this period.

I also found at another web site via Victoria Department of Natural Resources and Environment that indicates the weather for Melbourne leading up to the Black Friday conditions. It states Melbourne had:-

43.1C on 8/1/1939.
44.7C on 10/1/1939.
Melbourne experienced milder conditions on the 11 and 12 then Black Friday when it reached 45.6C on 13/1/1939. That is the highest official temperature for Melbourne.

It came ahead of a cold front that brought no rain but a cooler change. However the state suffered that bushfire outbreak with the worst being east and north east of Melbourne.

There was a general heatwave during the period 6 to 13 January 1939 but big rains came one month later.

1983 - The heat and drought of January and February did start to break in March 1983 with general rains around the middle of the month. Living in Albury at the time, I do remember early March being very hot and still remember 3 days of rain in a row around the middle of the month across much of the state. Thereafter, the drought broke after good rains returned.

There is a known history of the state experiencing heatwaves like this followed by big rains a little later on. This is something to watch.

30/1/2009:

From http://www.bom.gov.au/announcements/media_releases/vic/20090130.shtml

Melbourne sets heatwave record 30/1/2009

Hightlights that Melbourne has endured 3 days of above 43C for the first time in recorded history.

It also highlights Melbourne's longest heatwave being 15 to 20 January 1908. That has not been broken.

However, the highest temperature of 13/1/1939 being 45.6C has also not been broken. It reached 43.4C on 28/1/09, 44.3C on 29/1/09 and 45.1C at 4.27 pm on 30/1/09.

Note:- The article mentions 44.2C at 2.27 pm 30/1/09 but it did reach 45.1C 2 hours later. A cool change immediately after 4.27 pm dropped the temperature to 37.1C at 4.35 pm (Weather Observation for the Melbourne Area, 4.35 pm Bureau of Meteorology 30/1/2009)

Other maximum temperatures for Melbourne include 44.2C at Melbourne Airport, 45C at Avalon, 44.4C at Essendon Airport, 44.8C at Laverton and 44C at Viewbank.

Across Victoria, very high temperatures prevailed again for 30/1/09. These are the 3 pm readings including:-

45C at Kerang
44C at Hopetoun, Ouyen, Swan Hill and Walpeup.
43C at East Sale, Echuca, Edenhope Airport, Kanagulk, Nhill, Warracknabeal.
42C at Benalla, Mt Gellibrand AWS and Yarrawonga.

Many centres had 40 to 43C for the third consecutive day in a row.

(Daily Weather Bulletin for 3pm, Bureau of Meteorology, 30/1/2009)

At the same time, a large dangerous bushfire continues to burn near Branxholme in these conditions.

Additionally in South West New South Wales, just about all towns and cities reached 40C such as 42.7C at Albury (3rd day in a row of such temperatures). Other 3pm figures include 43C at Balranald, Hay and Ivanhoe.

Harley Pearman

[Michael Bath]

Thanks for all those stats and information Harley - excellent.

Here's the 850 hPa temp chart for the 30th - not surprisingly some high temps were also recorded in the Alpine regions.

[Carlos E]

Adelaide's 5th day in a row reaching 40 has been achieved today.

I must say it bothered me the first two days, but now I'm getting used to it.

[Robert1984]

I got an uneasy feeling were bound to see another super nova heatwave shortly quite possibly in either the 2nd or 3rd week of February here in South Australia... what worries me is that the conditions we've seen so far are an exact carbon copy of conditions prior to Ash Wednesday 1983 

[Kristy Norman]

Today was our fourth day of 40+ temps reaching 43.9 degrees. Right now at 7:30pm it is still 42.0 degrees!! Can't say I'm getting used to it! We went to Albury shopping today and have to say there are a lot of hot, bothered and grumpy people at the moment. I noticed some storms bubbling away over the mountains on the drive home about 3pm. We might get something brewing tomorrow if we are lucky, and have storms forecast for Monday.

[teckert]

Just thought I'd update people on the situation over here in Adelaide....

Jan 25 - 30.4 ºC
Jan 26 - 36.6 ºC
Jan 27 - 43.2 ºC
Jan 28 - 45.7 ºC
Jan 29 - 43.4 ºC
Jan 30 - 43.1 ºC
Jan 31 - 41.1 ºC

Feb 1 - 40C
Feb 2 - 39C
Feb 3 - 38C
Feb 4 - 38C
Feb 5 - 37C
Feb 6 - 35C
Feb 7 - 30C

So yer we still have a week of this hell to go.... what makes the next 3+
days worse is that its also going to be humid....

Also, the SA Government finally got its act together today and in
conjunction with the SES and SA Health put out a HEAT HEALTH WARNING -

Many people incl. myself also recieved an SMS of the warning this evening
from the government as well, although not exactly sure how they sent it &
how they worked out who gets it and doesnt....
Anyway the warning is obviously about 4 days late - considering the
unoffficial death toll is now 33 people... which surprisingly isnt
exactly making national news headlines?

[Michael Bath]

Thanks for the summary Tim. "only" 39.1 today so that's the end of the 40s but the rest of the week looks pretty horrible.
I noticed that warning yesterday too and apparently it went to people in the NT as well ?   It did seem several days too late to me as well.
regards, Michael

[Harley Pearman]

The state of Victoria was a state of two halves 31/1/2009. In this regard, a cooler change penetrated through the southern part of the state, at least to the ranges and Great Dividing Range which ended the heat. However, north of the Great Dividing Range, the heatwave continued.

To highlight this, the western district under that cool change experienced temperatures of between 20C and 33C with 21C at Portland. North of the Great Dividing Range, 3 pm temperatures were:-

Echuca, Ouyen and Swan Hill - 44C.
Hopetoun, Nhill and Yarrawonga - 43C.
Bendigo and Horsham - 42C.
Albury Wodonga - 42C

The 3 pm temperatures were a constant 40C to 44C across the north with no exceptional standouts.

In south west New South Wales, the same occurred including:-

Balranald and Deniliquin - 44C.
Corowa, Ivanhoe and Pooncarie - 43C.

In South Australia the heat continued including Adelaide. Some peak temperatures include:-

Keith West - 44C.
Keith, Kyancutta and Renmark - 43C.
Adelaide and Coonawarra - 42C.

It must be noted that the southerly change was making its presence felt in places such as Cafe Jaffa - 27C.

All temperatures are for 3 pm sourced from (3pm Daily Weather Bulletins, Bureau of Meteorology Weather Stations 31/1/2009).

A storey in "The Age - Melbourne" 1/2/2009, highlights the cost of the weather event being $100 million including 6 fatalities in Victoria. At the same time, a bushfire burns in Gippsland. Go to:-

http://www.theage.com.au/photogallery/2009/01/30/1232818733640.html

for a slide show showing the damage the fires caused during this weather event.

1 February 2009
 
Northern Victoria continues to suffer as 40C temperatures continue for the 5th day in a row. These include:-

Echuca, Kerang and Ouyen - 45C.
Hopetoun, Nhill, Shepparton and Swan Hill - 44C.
Mildura, Warracknabeal and Yarrawonga - 43C.
Albury Wodonga - 42C.

(All these places are into day 5 of these 40C temperatures in a row).

For New South Wales:-

Ivanhoe 44C
Balranald and Pooncarie 43C.
Corowa 42C
Wagga Wagga 41C

(All temperatures are for 3 pm sourced (3pm Daily Weather Bulletins, Bureau of Meteorology Weather Stations, 1/2/2009).

The good news here is that temperatures will start dropping throughout this week.

Harley Pearman

[Michael Bath]

Well there you go - Adelaide has topped 40 after 5pm local time 1st Feb. It must be unbearable with those high dew points today (16 past few obs before 5pm).

[Carlos E]

Well there you go - Adelaide has topped 40 after 5pm local time 1st Feb. It must be unbearable with those high dew points today (16 past few obs before 5pm).

I was just coming to whine about that, after all the dry heat, this humid heat is something else. It's quite sticky. I mean, the least mother nature could do is give the city a storm (there are some, but they're north). >_>

[Kristy Norman]

Day 5 of 40+ temps here has finally given way to some instability, although so far no relief from the heat.

[Harley Pearman]

The heatwave has pushed further north and affects more or less New South Wales and to a lesser extent northern Victoria.

On 2 February 2009, some exceptionally high temperatures were recorded in south west New South Wales with the 3 pm readings including:-

Ivanhoe - 47C.
Ivanhoe Airport - 44C.
Wilcania Airport - 45C.
Wilcania - 44C.

The highest temperatures were in the western Riverina of New South Wales and far west. Fowlers Gap recorded 43C and Broken Hill 42C. Temperatures in the rest of the Riverina were between 36C and 43C with Hillston and Lake Cargelligo topping 43C.

Places like Albury Wodonga had a cooler top of 37C.

Thus the heat was concentrated mainly in the Riverina and far west of New South Wales.

It was slightly cooler in Adelaide on 36C.

In Victoria, Mildura scored 42C but generally the heat had eased through most of the state.

On 3 February 2009, the same regions of New South Wales continued to be hot with Ivanhoe scoring 44C, Pooncarie 43C and Broken Hill 41C. Generally at 3 pm most centres in the:-

South west topped between 40 - 43C.
Far south west up to 44C.
South west slopes 38 to 40C.

Examples include Griffith 40C, Hay 39C, Wagga Wagga 39C and Albury Wodonga 38C.

In Victoria, Mildura topped 39C, Swan Hill and Ouyen 37C.

It is noted that the heat pushed into the Central west of New South Wales with 38 to 40C being recorded at many centres.

Source (3 pm Daily Weather Bulletins, New South Wales and Victoria Bureau of Meteorology 2/2/2009 and 3/2/2009)

The weather forecast for many of the inland centres is for another burst of 40C heat until Saturday. It is interesting to note that the forecast is for some of this heat to reach western Sydney on Thursday with a top of 38C expected and Saturday and Sunday with 42C expected with a stronger cooler change for Sunday afternoon / evening that will end it.

On a separate matter to this topic, I have heard one news reader state that the heatwave has claimed up to 70 lives mainly the elderly making it Australia's deadliest weather related event for many years. To date, I have not found anything to back that statement up so I am not sure of the voracity of that claim made.

Harley Pearman