By Tom Wark
Millions of Australians are sweltering through some of the hottest conditions in years as a perfect storm of heat and wind combine to bake much of the country.
A major heatwave is still sweeping across Australia’s southeast, with forecasted temperatures to reach 43C in Melbourne and up to 47C in parts of inland Victoria and South Australia on Friday.
Damaging northwesterly winds of up to 90km/h are combining with extreme heat to break temperature records and bring catastrophic bushfire conditions, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
“We have severe heatwave warnings current for all states and territories except Queensland,” senior Bureau meteorologist Christie Johnson said on Friday.
“Some parts of Victoria and NSW are reaching extreme heatwave criteria.”
Catastrophic and Extreme Fire Danger is forecast across #Vic today. Extreme Fire Danger is also expected in parts of #NSW and #SA.
The combination of very hot, windy and dry weather is making for exceptionally dangerous fire conditions.
The sweltering and gusty conditions in Victoria have fuelled massive bushfires in the northeast of the state with properties confirmed lost in the town of Ruffy, about 150km from Melbourne.
South Australia bore the brunt of the high temperatures on Thursday with the town of Wudinna on the Eyre Peninsula reaching 48.2C, just 0.2 degrees shy of its all-time record.
Regional centres of Renmark (47.2C), Whyalla (47.8C), and Port Augusta (47.6C) all recorded their hottest day in seven years.
The northwest Victorian towns of Walpeup and Hopetoun also recorded temperatures above 46C, their highest since 2019.
Temperatures are expected to remain high on Friday in South Australia as well as country Victoria and NSW, with the border towns of Ouyen and Balranald forecast to reach 46C on Friday.
Most of NSW will not feel the full force of the heat until the weekend, with maximum temperatures in the mid-30s along the coast and reaching the low-40s in the southwest predicted on Friday.
Things will likely worsen in Sydney on Saturday with temperatures expected to reach 42C and an even hotter forecast for the western suburbs.
NSW Ambulance chief superintendent Steve Vaughan urged residents to begin preparing for the hot conditions and stay cool, hydrated, and indoors during the hottest part of the day.
“Heatwaves put real pressure on your body, with consecutive days of relentless heat causing stress that builds up over time,” he said.
While relief is on the way, authorities are warning the danger of severe weather will not disappear as the mercury drops.
A strong southwesterly wind change is currently sweeping across South Australia, expected to reach Adelaide by lunchtime, but the gusty conditions will also bring a broad risk of thunderstorms.
“The change is forecast to reach Geelong and the Mornington Peninsula around 5-7pm and move through the Melbourne metro area between 6-8pm,” Ms Johnson said.
Relief from the heat won’t reach most of NSW until late Saturday or early Sunday, with much milder conditions expected in the succeeding days.
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