Residents from across south-eastern Australia are being warned to remain indoors and stay hydrated as a heatwave sweeps across the region.
Much of Victoria, eastern South Australia and south-western New South Wales were facing low intensity to severe heatwave conditions on Friday, with some spots recording temperatures up to 13C higher than average.
Some of the most persistent high temperatures were recorded around the Central and East Gippsland areas in Victoria, as well as locations around Eden, Bega and Bombala in NSW.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued severe heatwave warnings for NSW, Victoria, and Queensland, cautioning of an extended period of consistent heat.
The warning advised residents to seek out places to keep cool, and to use fans or air conditioners if possible.
“Severe heatwaves can be dangerous for many people, especially older people, babies, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with medical conditions and people who are unwell,” the bureau advised.
“Seek a place to keep cool, such as your home, a library, community centre or shopping centre.”
Temperatures also climbed in South Australia, with Adelaide reaching 36C by early Friday afternoon. Mt Gambier saw temperatures climb to 34C on Friday, nearly 13C higher than the spring average of 21C.
Closer to the Victorian border, towns such as Naracoorte, Renmark and Lameroo recorded temperatures of around 38C on Friday, all more than 10C above average for November.
By 1pm, Melbourne had hit 32C. The high temperatures were due to continue into the weekend, with a maximum of 36C forecast for Saturday.
Miriam Bradbury, a senior meteorologist at the bureau, said that it was consistent high temperatures, lasting into the night, that take their toll on residents and result in heatwave warnings.
“The overnight temperatures that we’re seeing in those areas over the next couple of nights are well above average. Heatwaves are not necessarily about extreme temperatures. We don’t always see temperature records broken with heatwaves, they’re about that persistent above-average heat,” she said.
“It’s when those hot conditions don’t shift for days and nights on end – that’s when we start to see it take its toll.”
Bradbury said rain and cloudy conditions were forecast to sweep across south-eastern Australia from Saturday, easing conditions over the weekend.
“Through Saturday we’re going to start to see the cooler weather come in from the west. It will be increasingly cloudy and humid across the south-east, as this cloud and rain approach.
“We will see a wind change eventually come through, which will bring with it a shift to cooler weather, with that shift likely reaching Melbourne on Saturday afternoon,” she said.
But Bradbury said the cooler change would take longer to “flush out the heat” from NSW, where heat is expected to remain in parts until Wednesday.
It comes amid ongoing minor flood warnings for areas in Queensland, including around upper Balonne River, Dawson River, Moonie River and Warrego River.
Recent heavy rainfall around central and south-eastern Queensland have resulted in overflowing catchments, with the bureau urging residents to remain alert to changes, and to not drive through flooded streets.
