Heatwave on the way for southern Australia by Jack Kerr, Thursday January 1, 2015 - 12:12 EDT The first heat health alerts of the Victorian summer have been issued ahead of a scorching entry to the new year in the south of the country. After a mild New Years Day, Melbourne is expecting two days in the high 30s, with an overnight low of 25 on Saturday. A cool change is expected to hit the city later that day. Things will be even hotter in Adelaide. Its first week of 2015 is forecast to include two days around 40, three nights above 20 and only one day below 30. Sunday and Mondays overnight minimums of 17 are as cool as the South Australian capital is likely to get. It will be even hotter across the north of the state, with the mercury swinging between highs of around 40 and lows in the 20s all week. Similar, though fractionally cooler, conditions are forecast for Mildura and other parts of northern Victoria across the next week. Coastal parts of the state can expect cooler weather by Sunday as the extreme heats makes its way west. Perth is expecting five straight days of highs over 30, peaking at 39 on Monday. Victorias Department of Health says temperatures on Friday will be above the heat health threshold in the central, western and north-western parts of the state on Friday. Cities and towns affected include Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Hamilton, Horsham, Mildura, Portland, Seymour, Shepparton and Warrnambool. Temperatures in the Northern Country will be also be above the heat health threshold on Saturday. A heat health alert is issued when a days average temperature - the maximum plus the minimum, divided in two - is above 30. The department says elderly, frail, disabled and young people are most vulnerable to the impacts of extreme heat. It is asking Victorians to keep an eye on vulnerable friends, relatives and neighbours, and suggests people: keep blinds closed; place wet face cloths on their faces, hands or feet, or even on a fan; and have cold water ready in the fridge. SA Health has also started a hashtag - - to get South Australians ready for the heatwave coming their way. Its reminding people to think about how their pets will cope with the heat, and suggests people get chores like shopping done before the heat arrives. For those without air conditioning, indoor pools, public libraries, shopping centres and cinemas are all good places to beat the heat heatwaves pose. Its also important to keep your fluids up on hot days. Sweat helps to keep you cool, and when your body is running low on fluids, it can lead to overheating. Thats when heat stress, and then heat stroke, can happen. Early signs of heat stress include headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability and thirst. Bushfire safety researcher Professor Jim McLennan says we shouldnt underestimate the threat. The official total death toll due to the 2009 Victorian Black Saturday bushfires was 173. However, it was estimated that during the heatwave in south-eastern Australia [from] 17 January to 8 February 2009, some 374 people died from heat-related causes not associated with bushfires. More tips on can be found at the ABCs Health & Wellbeing site, and at . Victorians suffering heat stress or heat stroke can call the Nurse On Call service on 1300 60 60 24. - ABC © ABC 2015 Temperatures predicted by the GFS model on Friday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons with some easing of the heat in southern Australia thanks to a change in south eastern Australia on Sunday (3rd image). Anything in purple shade colours = to 40c+ temps. Maps are provided by BSCH.
Posted on: Thu, 01 Jan 2015 02:10:23 +0000
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