South Australia on standby for dangerous fire conditions as temperatures soar, records could break in NSW
Author: https://www.9news.com.au/ Date Posted:27 November 2020
Temperatures have soared in some states ahead of a severe heatwave set to sweep the country over the weekend.
In Roseworthy, south of Adelaide, temperatures reached 44.7C - just 0.2C off the area's highest temperature on record and a whopping 15C above average for this time of year.
Emergency services issued an alert to people in the area, urging residents to flee after a fire broke out in the Templers area.
Outback Queensland also sweltered today with Birdsville recording a top of 47C.
The heat is a taste of what is yet to come elsewhere in the country, with people in several states being warned of dangerous heat and fire conditions in the coming days.
Heat maps show northern NSW and southern Queensland are going to be the target for the most dangerous heat during this event.
These areas will have the longest spell of the most abnormally hot weather for this time of year, but not necessarily the highest absolute temperatures.
Relative humidity will help exacerbate the heat as it spreads towards Australia's east coast.
Some areas of southeast Queensland could feel about 5C warmer than the actual air temperature early next week due to the amount of moisture in the air.
Temperatures will peak for inland NSW tomorrow with Broken Hill in western NSW forecast to experience a record-breaking 44C.
On top of the heat, gale force winds are also expected to create dangerous fire conditions and dust storms for inland areas.
"This is dangerous heat affecting most of (NSW) and that southerly change will come through bringing damaging winds," Agata Imielska from the Bureau of Meteorology said.
