Sydney has sweltered through its hottest November night since records began more than 160 years ago, as temperatures climbed to 40C in the city for a second consecutive day.
The mercury dropped to just 25.3C at 1.09am on Sunday at Sydney’s Observatory Hill and rose above 30C shortly after 4.30am. The previous record for the warmest November minimum temperature was set in 1967 at 24.8C.
The extreme heat was also posing a fire danger across New South Wales, with a watch and act alert issued for a bushfire in Northmead in Sydney’s west shortly after 1pm on Sunday. There were 45 bush and grass fires burning across the state at that time.
NSW Rural Fire Service spokesman Greg Allan said that the Whitehaven Road fire in Northmead was “burning to the south-west of properties that are in the vicinity of where this fire is burning”. Footage aired by ABC TV showed smoke billowing from one house.
“Firefighters and waterbombing aircraft are working to contain the fire and protect homes,” the RFS alert stated.
The service later confirmed one property was damaged by fire. “The immediate threat has eased,” it said after 3pm when advising the Northmead fire had been downgraded to advice level again. “Crews remain on scene working to fully contain the fire.”
NSW RFS (@NSWRFS)Firefighters and aircraft have been working in difficult conditions to contain the fire at Whitehaven Road, Northmead. The immediate threat has eased. One property has been damaged by fire. Crews remain on scene working to fully contain the fire. #nswrfs #nswfires pic.twitter.com/evqUL6k7ue
November 29, 2020
Meanwhile, the Australian Energy Market Operator (Aemo) moved to calm concerns the energy grid would struggle to cope with electricity demand on Sunday afternoon. A spokesman told Guardian Australia that Aemo expected to issue a “lack of reserve” notice between 4.30pm and 6.30pm but it would be a low-level warning, meaning “there is no impact to power system security or reliability”.
The overnight temperature record was set after parts of Sydney – including the CBD – broke the 40C barrier on Saturday while swathes of western NSW, South Australia and northern Victoria baked through even higher temperatures approaching 45C.
Overnight November minimum records also fell in Newcastle, western NSW’s Bourke and Cobar, as well as Ulladulla on the state’s south coast.
At Bankstown airport in western Sydney, the lowest temperature recorded overnight was 27.1C, breaking a 53-year-old record for the warmest minimum temperature recorded during any night of the year. A 36-year-old annual minimum record for Camden also fell.
Parts of Sydney reached 40C again on Sunday. Temperatures were forecast to ease in the afternoon when a gusty southerly was expected to break the north-westerly winds that have been dragging hot air masses up through NSW since Saturday.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Helen Kirkup told Guardian Australia she expected the cool change to be felt in Sydney from about 3pm and further up NSW as the afternoon progressed.
Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW)Going to be hot & awful for a lot of people tonight. One thing that distinguishes a #Heatwave from a regular run of hot days is MINIMUM temps. Tonight #Sydney is unlikely to get below 25 degrees #Dubbo 26 #Cobar 30 #Gosford 25 #Tibooburra 30 #Canberra 20 https://t.co/bkCiOwejkw pic.twitter.com/1EzlMDml6F
November 28, 2020
Kirkup said the state could “expect a fairly decent temperature drop” with the potential for thunderstorms. However, temperatures were set to remain in the low 20s in Sydney until the end of the night.
“It was pretty hot right across the board and I think everyone’s felt that as they woke up today,” Kirkup said.
By 2.30pm on Sunday, central Sydney had hit 39.5C as north-westerly winds held back the sea breeze, while Penrith reached 38.1C and Parramatta 40.3C.
Temperatures in the Hunter were forecast to hit 43C (it was 40.9C at 2.30pm), while much of north-east NSW was expected to break the 40C barrier. At 2.30pm, it was 38.3C in Lismore but 24.3C on the coast in Byron Bay.
Cooler temperatures were forecast for Monday before the heat returned to NSW from Tuesday.
South-east and southern Queensland were also likely to experience elevated temperatures from Monday, with no respite until at least Thursday.
The Rural Fire Service issued a total fire ban for most of eastern and north-eastern NSW for Sunday, including greater Sydney, Illawarra, the Hunter and north coast.
Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW)
#Sydney it's been a warm night and temperatures already climbing into the 30s. https://t.co/qwycphxSay pic.twitter.com/17HdSJpb5C
November 28, 2020
“It will be a really long, uncomfortable night [on Saturday] and then a really long hot day and then a really windy southerly change,” the Bureau of Meteorology manager Jane Golding told reporters on Saturday.
“The body doesn’t really get much respite, it’s quite hard.”
RFS deputy commissioner Peter McKechnie on Friday urged NSW residents to have fire plans ready and prepare properties.
“This is the first time since the devastating season last year we’ve seen widespread elevated fire danger,” McKechnie said.
Last summer’s bushfires destroyed 2,476 homes and claimed 26 lives.
– With Australian Associated Press
source https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/nov/29/sydney-and-northern-nsw-to-swelter-through-another-day-of-above-40c-heat
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