AUSTRALIAN RESIDENTS WARNED TO PREPARE FOR DANGEROUS FIRE CONDITIONS AS TEMPERATURES RISE TO OVER 40C
Firefighting authorities around the country are urging residents to prepare themselves for dangerous conditions ahead of another burst of heat. (AAP)
Fire authorities across Australia have strongly urged residents to prepare for dangerous fire conditions as another burst of heat is set to sweep across the country.
Temperatures are forecast to soar over coming days and into the next week, with some areas once again expecting conditions above 40C.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has predicted Adelaide will bear the worst of the intense heat as the mercury jumps to a maximum of 41C by Tuesday.
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While that temperature is not the highest South Australia has experienced in recent weeks, Country Fire Service regional commander Brett Loughlin said residents still need to have a plan.
“We’re stressing to people to be prepared, we are now well and truly into summer,” he said.
"There is no excuse to not have a plan of what you are going to do, where you are going to go and what you are going to take.
“Whenever we get these high temperatures, we only need some low humidity and some strong winds - which unfortunately often accompany it - and we have all the ingredients there for fire to spread rapidly across the landscape.”
In New South Wales, the Rural Fire Service issued a similar warning on social media today ahead of the looming weather.
The RFS call for resident preparation also comes as Sydney expects temperatures in the mid-30s with light winds by the middle of next week.
The state’s Central West region, however, is expecting even hotter conditions leading into next week. Dubbo is forecast to heat up to about 40C, while both Griffith and Broken Hill could see 42C weather.
In Canberra, conditions should stay hot around the 31C to 34C level until mid-next week under partial cloud cover.
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Meanwhile, ahead of the beginning of the Australian Open in Melbourne on January 14, the BoM has predicted hot and cloudy 34C weather for the city leading into next week.
Wind gusts of up to 30km/h could also join the summer temperatures.
In Queensland, Brisbane is forecast for another week of 31C conditions despite passing rain showers in the wake of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Penny that soaked that state’s central regions.
“Despite remaining below tropical cyclone strength as it approached Queensland's, Penny's remnant low pressure system has still brought plenty of rain during the last 24 hours,” Weatherzone’s Ben Domensino told 9News.com.au.
“St Lawrence received 147mm during the 22 hours to 7am on Wednesday, which is its highest daily total in two years.
“Other notable totals during this time included 163mm at Mt Bridget and 159mm at Prospect Creek, both located to the south of Mackay.
“Ex-Tropical Cyclone Penny was located a little over 100km/h to the east Bowen early on Wednesday morning and is expected to move towards the north northwest during the next 24 hours.”
Despite all of the rainfall, cities further inland such as Mount Isa and Longreach are forecast for temperatures of up to 39C by the middle of next week.
In the Northern Territory, Darwin can expect another wave of thunderstorms as the heat crosses Australia, with conditions of up to 34C and high chances of rain.
Meanwhile in Perth, 33C weather today should soon be replaced with slightly cooler 27C conditions tomorrow before multiple consecutive days of sunshine are expected to keep the mercury around 30C until next week.
Nationally, Hobart is the only city not expecting hot weather over coming days.
The BoM has forecast the Tasmanian Capital to receive conditions in the mid-20s into next week, with passing cloud cover and rain tipped until Tuesday.
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