Heatwave in SE Australia - Page 2

Aliantha · 01-28-2009, 08:31 PM

TheMercenary · 01-28-2009, 08:34 PM

One...... hot........... box...........

Ali, you know you are the best. eva.

Aliantha · 01-28-2009, 08:37 PM

lol...so I've been told.

Kingswood · 01-29-2009, 04:35 AM

An update:

Today:
Melbourne: minimum 27.2 maximum 44.2 (Hottest day for six years, since 44 was reached in 2003. I think it's in the top 5 of hottest days for Melbourne, but I'm not sure. It's the first time Melbourne has had two days in a row over 43 since the 1870's. Some suburbs of Melbourne had record high temperatures today (including the official weather station nearest to my home), with some suburbs as high as 46)
Adelaide: minimum 33.9 (all-time record for Adelaide) maximum 43.0

Tomorrow:
Melbourne: minimum 27 maximum 43 (if this is reached, will be the first time Melbourne has had 3 days in a row 43 or more)
Adelaide: minimum 30 maximum 42

Today I bought icecream cones to go with the icecream I have. It's the first time I've bought cones for more than ten years. If I must put up with the drawbacks of summer, then I'm having the benefits as well.

Kingswood · 01-29-2009, 04:42 AM

For those who still use Fahrenheit thermometers, it's easy to remember:

temperate twenties: 20C = 68F 25C = 77F
thermal thirties: 30C = 86F 35C = 95F
flaming forties: 40C = 104F 45C = 113F

ZenGum · 01-29-2009, 05:08 AM

33.9 - a new record for the hottest minimum for Adelaide. Yay us.

That was just after midnight. It was 36 by 6 am.

We had minor train troubles - a (different) buckled tack caused a few cancellations, but most lines were moving slowly (since the drivers had to keep a sharp lookout for fresh buckles) and the timetable became purely nominal. The "five fifteen" left at 5.30 or so. Then stopped just outside the yard for five minutes for no apparent reason.

Still, this weather resolves my usual nightly dilemma of whether to have chocolate icecream or mango gelati for dessert. Tonight? Both.

HungLikeJesus · 01-29-2009, 09:16 AM

Are the trains air-conditioned?

Kingswood · 01-29-2009, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HungLikeJesus

Are the trains air-conditioned?

They are in both cities.

The trouble is, the trains are sealed tight, with widows that do not open. If the airconditioning is not working in a carriage of a packed train, it's unpleasantly like being in a sardine can while they're cooking the fish in the can. Yuck.

So in Melbourne they cancel trains on hot days if the aircon isn't working.

The trouble is, in Melbourne they cancelled 200 trains yesterday. Some train lines were shut down due to lack of trains and power to run them (they ran buses instead), other trains could not run because the tracks buckled, or for other reasons.

Some country trains did not run yesterday because the bush near the tracks is tinder-dry and sparks from the trains have been known to start bushfires.

Kingswood · 01-30-2009, 04:15 AM

Melbourne got to 45.1 today. That's the second-hottest day ever recorded in Melbourne; the record is 45.6.

We tried frying an egg in a frying pan on the concrete outside in the middle of the day. The butter melted pretty quickly but it wasn't quite hot enough to fry the egg, which just sort of dried out instead over the space of two hours.

During the afternoon we lost the electricity in my suburb. I had no idea how long it was going to be out for, so I quickly rushed out to buy some ice, took everything out of the freezer and put it in a big esky, then covered it with ice. Then I went shopping, taking a few ice lollies with me (the kind that come in plastic tubes and are then frozen before being eaten). I was going to a small but friendly bookshop and I knew that the chap running the shop had only a tiny fan to keep cool. I gave him one of the ice lollies that managed to stay frozen, it was much appreciated.

When I got home the power was back on, so I took everything out of the esky and put it back in the fridge. The ice was still mostly frozen, which was a good sign. I guess I could have left everything in the fridge but I was taking no chances.

I wasn't alone with the power blackouts. Other parts of Melbourne lost power as well, some to "load shedding" where they cut the power to reduce demand (this is the kind that I got), others due to the heat itself (this is the kind that caused a lot of disruption to Melbourne's trains this evening.

More info on the blackouts: Melbourne blackout causes chaos

Now things are not so bad in Melbourne because a weak cool change came through late in the afternoon, dropping temperatures by 10 degrees. It's cooled down further to below 30 degrees, although it's going to take a while for my home to cool down as well. It is much more pleasant now, compared to the swelter of the last three days. Right now, 27 degrees feels quite cool.

Tomorrow's forecast for Melbourne is 35 degrees. Still warm, but not as scorchingly hot as it has been for the last three days.

Adelaide got to about 43 today and is going to get to 40 tomorrow. For both cities, the weather is still going to be hot for the next week, but maximum temperatures between 30 and 35 degrees (Melbourne) and between 35 and 40 degrees (Adelaide) aren't as bad as temperatures in the mid forties.

ZenGum · 01-30-2009, 10:04 PM

There are some serious bushfires in eastern Victoria. 17 homes have been destroyed. I think Kingswood and Ducks are safe.

In Adelaide, Friday was the day of the Big Day Out, an annual concert festival. 30,000 people rocking outdoors in 40+ heat.

Sundae · 01-31-2009, 08:59 AM

It's been big news here.

Mum & Dad are feeling the cold at the moment and were aware of the irony that we are being advised to check on elderly neighbours over the next week (heavy snow expected) while you are advised to check on them due to the hear.

TheMercenary · 01-31-2009, 12:06 PM

It is just starting to hit the headlines here. Crazy weather everywhere. Al Gore's fault.

piercehawkeye45 · 01-31-2009, 12:48 PM

Al Gore? It is obviously Obama's fault. He is in charge now.

Yeah, but weather is messed up here too. Its actually above freezing. The past two years it was -30 to -40 windchills at this moment.

I, for one, am not complaining.

ZenGum · 01-31-2009, 06:38 PM

We've had a big spike in sudden deaths among the elderly. It is hard to say for sure but it seems about 20 people have died who probably would have gone on for a few months or years were it not for the heat. Hell, we even had an ambulance catch fire while transporting a patient.

DucksNuts · 02-01-2009, 03:02 AM

We are all good in my neck of the woods

Tired of being sweaty, but safe.

My brother, not so lucky...this will be the 2nd time in 3ish years he has had flames licking on the outskirts of his property.

01-28-2009, 08:31 PM	#16
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	__________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-28-2009, 08:34 PM	#17
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	One...... hot........... box........... Ali, you know you are the best. eva. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

01-28-2009, 08:37 PM	#18
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	lol...so I've been told. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

01-29-2009, 04:35 AM	#19
Kingswood Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Melbourne, Vic Posts: 316	An update: Today: Melbourne: minimum 27.2 maximum 44.2 (Hottest day for six years, since 44 was reached in 2003. I think it's in the top 5 of hottest days for Melbourne, but I'm not sure. It's the first time Melbourne has had two days in a row over 43 since the 1870's. Some suburbs of Melbourne had record high temperatures today (including the official weather station nearest to my home), with some suburbs as high as 46) Adelaide: minimum 33.9 (all-time record for Adelaide) maximum 43.0 Tomorrow: Melbourne: minimum 27 maximum 43 (if this is reached, will be the first time Melbourne has had 3 days in a row 43 or more) Adelaide: minimum 30 maximum 42 Today I bought icecream cones to go with the icecream I have. It's the first time I've bought cones for more than ten years. If I must put up with the drawbacks of summer, then I'm having the benefits as well. __________________ Ur is a city in Mesopotamia.

01-29-2009, 04:42 AM	#20
Kingswood Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Melbourne, Vic Posts: 316	For those who still use Fahrenheit thermometers, it's easy to remember: temperate twenties: 20C = 68F 25C = 77F thermal thirties: 30C = 86F 35C = 95F flaming forties: 40C = 104F 45C = 113F __________________ Ur is a city in Mesopotamia.

01-29-2009, 05:08 AM	#21
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	33.9 - a new record for the hottest minimum for Adelaide. Yay us. That was just after midnight. It was 36 by 6 am. We had minor train troubles - a (different) buckled tack caused a few cancellations, but most lines were moving slowly (since the drivers had to keep a sharp lookout for fresh buckles) and the timetable became purely nominal. The "five fifteen" left at 5.30 or so. Then stopped just outside the yard for five minutes for no apparent reason. Still, this weather resolves my usual nightly dilemma of whether to have chocolate icecream or mango gelati for dessert. Tonight? Both. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

01-29-2009, 09:16 AM	#22
HungLikeJesus Only looks like a disaster tourist Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: above 7,000 feet Posts: 7,208	Are the trains air-conditioned? __________________ Keep Your Bodies Off My Lawn SteveDallas's Random Thread Picker.

01-30-2009, 04:15 AM	#24
Kingswood Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Melbourne, Vic Posts: 316	Melbourne got to 45.1 today. That's the second-hottest day ever recorded in Melbourne; the record is 45.6. We tried frying an egg in a frying pan on the concrete outside in the middle of the day. The butter melted pretty quickly but it wasn't quite hot enough to fry the egg, which just sort of dried out instead over the space of two hours. During the afternoon we lost the electricity in my suburb. I had no idea how long it was going to be out for, so I quickly rushed out to buy some ice, took everything out of the freezer and put it in a big esky, then covered it with ice. Then I went shopping, taking a few ice lollies with me (the kind that come in plastic tubes and are then frozen before being eaten). I was going to a small but friendly bookshop and I knew that the chap running the shop had only a tiny fan to keep cool. I gave him one of the ice lollies that managed to stay frozen, it was much appreciated. When I got home the power was back on, so I took everything out of the esky and put it back in the fridge. The ice was still mostly frozen, which was a good sign. I guess I could have left everything in the fridge but I was taking no chances. I wasn't alone with the power blackouts. Other parts of Melbourne lost power as well, some to "load shedding" where they cut the power to reduce demand (this is the kind that I got), others due to the heat itself (this is the kind that caused a lot of disruption to Melbourne's trains this evening. More info on the blackouts: Melbourne blackout causes chaos Now things are not so bad in Melbourne because a weak cool change came through late in the afternoon, dropping temperatures by 10 degrees. It's cooled down further to below 30 degrees, although it's going to take a while for my home to cool down as well. It is much more pleasant now, compared to the swelter of the last three days. Right now, 27 degrees feels quite cool. Tomorrow's forecast for Melbourne is 35 degrees. Still warm, but not as scorchingly hot as it has been for the last three days. Adelaide got to about 43 today and is going to get to 40 tomorrow. For both cities, the weather is still going to be hot for the next week, but maximum temperatures between 30 and 35 degrees (Melbourne) and between 35 and 40 degrees (Adelaide) aren't as bad as temperatures in the mid forties. __________________ Ur is a city in Mesopotamia.

01-30-2009, 10:04 PM	#25
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	There are some serious bushfires in eastern Victoria. 17 homes have been destroyed. I think Kingswood and Ducks are safe. In Adelaide, Friday was the day of the Big Day Out, an annual concert festival. 30,000 people rocking outdoors in 40+ heat. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

01-31-2009, 08:59 AM	#26
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	It's been big news here. Mum & Dad are feeling the cold at the moment and were aware of the irony that we are being advised to check on elderly neighbours over the next week (heavy snow expected) while you are advised to check on them due to the hear.

01-31-2009, 12:06 PM	#27
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	It is just starting to hit the headlines here. Crazy weather everywhere. Al Gore's fault. __________________ Anyone but the this most fuked up President in History in 2012!

01-31-2009, 12:48 PM	#28
piercehawkeye45 Franklin Pierce Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Minnesota Posts: 3,695	Al Gore? It is obviously Obama's fault. He is in charge now. Yeah, but weather is messed up here too. Its actually above freezing. The past two years it was -30 to -40 windchills at this moment. I, for one, am not complaining. __________________ I like my perspectives like I like my baseball caps: one size fits all.

01-31-2009, 06:38 PM	#29
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	We've had a big spike in sudden deaths among the elderly. It is hard to say for sure but it seems about 20 people have died who probably would have gone on for a few months or years were it not for the heat. Hell, we even had an ambulance catch fire while transporting a patient. __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

02-01-2009, 03:02 AM	#30
DucksNuts Bitchy Little Brat Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Queensland, Australia Posts: 5,067	We are all good in my neck of the woods Tired of being sweaty, but safe. My brother, not so lucky...this will be the 2nd time in 3ish years he has had flames licking on the outskirts of his property.

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