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Fire danger rising as heat intensifies across NSW, ACT
Brett Dutschke, Saturday February 11, 2017 - 13:20 AEDT
As much of New South Wales and the ACT bake in near-record heat, fire danger is becoming very high in most districts and reaching catastrophic in some areas, putting residents and emergency services on alert.
In parts of inland NSW the temperature will spike in the mid-to-high forties, humidity dip to about 10 percent and wind gust to 40-60km/h, causing fire danger to approach catastrophic.
Districts with the highest chance for catastrophic fire weather are the Far Western, Riverina, Central West Plains today; and Far Western, Central West Plains, North West Plains, Northern Slopes and Greater Hunter on Sunday.
One factor keeping the fire danger down in some areas is rain during the past few months which has kept moisture relatively high for this time of year. However in many areas, particularly those under a Total Fire Ban, recent rain has been lacking and the ground has dried out quickly.
In the ACT temperatures are reaching the forties for the second day running, and with wind picking up, fire danger should become very high. Canberra is on target for its hottest spell in 50 years, reaching at least 41 degrees for two-days running. Canberra reached 41.1 degrees on Friday and is a good chance to get a bit hotter today.
During today the hottest place should be Wilcannia, with a likely maximum of 48-to-49 degrees.
As a cooler southerly change shifts the heat further north, Sunday's heat should focus on the Walgett-Lightning Ridge-Mungindi area where it will reach about 47 degrees.
During Monday the peak of the heat will have moved well into Queensland, bringing an end to the trying hot spell. Temperatures will be as much as 15-to-20 degrees cooler, including in the ACT.
- Weatherzone
© Weatherzone
2017
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