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Record-breaking heat wave beginning to scorch western NSW

Brett Dutschke, Wednesday October 22, 2014 - 15:40 AEDT

Western New South Wales has begun a heat wave and it is likely to become record-breaking in the far west where maximum temperatures should average as much as 40 degrees over seven days.

The heat wave (reaching at least 35 degrees for at least five days in a row) should affect an area west from about Collarenebri to Trangie to Condobolin to Hillston to Hay. The area west from about Bourke, including Wanaaring and Tibooburra should average about 40 degrees over a five day period.

The week from yesterday (Tuesday) to next Monday should become the hottest October week in more than 50 years for most of the Upper Western and Lower Western, six years for parts of the Riverina, South West Slopes and Central West Slopes and Plains and five years for parts of North West Slopes and Plains and Northern Tablelands.

In the Upper Western, Tibooburra should average about 39 degrees for seven days. In 100 years of records its previous hottest October week was in 1997 when it averaged 37.6 degrees.

This heat wave is likely to lead to dehydration, stress, possible exhaustion and significant drying out of the bush, grasslands and crops, particularly for areas which receive little or no rainfall from showers and thunderstorms.

A record past two months in the West Australian Kimberley and Pilbara has translated across central Australia to reach western NSW. This has come about with help from warmer-than-normal sea surface surrounding western and southern Australia, sunnier-than-normal days and a reduction of intensity of cold fronts. The NSW heat is being drawn across the state by a slow-moving (near-stationary at times) low pressure trough.

- Weatherzone

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