Central and eastern Australia brace for intense heatwave

Temperatures are expected to hit nearly 50°C in parts of central and eastern Australia on Thursday and Friday as the strongest heatwave in four years strikes.

Towns such as Birdsville in Queensland (49°C on Thursday), Moomba in South Australia (48°C on Thursday), Broken Hill in NSW (45°C on Thursday), and Alpurrurulam in the Northern Territory (45°C on Friday) are set to experience the worst of the extreme conditions.

While maximum temperatures in Sydney won’t reach such peaks, the forecast minimum of 25°C on Thursday night represents the city’s hottest night in four years, with humidity also expected to be high.

The heatwave is fuelled by a low-pressure system to the north. By the time the hot air from the low-pressure system moves south, it dries out, causing an extreme heat event.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued heatwave warnings for parts of Queensland, NSW, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. It advises people in affected areas to use air conditioners or fans to keep cool, and to close their windows and draw their blinds. Demand for HVAC&R workers will therefore be extremely high.

For advice on working safely in heat, refer to the Safework Australia website.

AIRAH has published information aimed at HVAC&R technicians about working in hot conditions.

Image courtesy of Craig Manners via Unsplash.