Melbourne AUS - Once in a century heatwave

[honey22]

Hey fellow PSers. This is a pointless topic, only to ask you to spare a thought for us poor Melburnians, who are sweltering through a once-in-a-century heatwave!!

At 5.00am this morning, the temp hit 32oC - which for you in the US, that''s a hot hot hot 90oF!! On Tuesday it was 41oC (106oF), yesterday it was 43.5 (110oF) and today it''s forcast to hit around the 44oC mark (111oF). It''s going to in the 40s for the next three days with no cool change coming until at least Sunday.

We are a grumpy bunch! We are having blackouts, our trains are being cancelled as the tracks are buckling in the heat and we are just not used to this heat for days in a row. I am planning on cleaning the walk-in fridge at work today just to keep cool.

So, if your Aussie PSers seem a bit frazzled, you know they are just cooking! What I wouldn''t give to be in the snow now!!!!

Honey *melting at work*

 

[katebar]

Honey I sympathise with you but poor Adelaide reached 45.6 in the middle of the city at 330 yesterday!
Here in Queensland we are having a full on tropical summer. Early morning brief rain showers, then stinking hot (100%) humidity then late afternoon showers for 10 minutes.
Really crazy weather.
Stay cool

 

[Harriet]

It''s cold and grey here, with snow plue sleet. Wanna trade?

 

[TravelingGal]

We''ve been watching the weather as you know that TGuy is from Adelaide and his family is there. Plus we''ve seen the temp on the court from the Aussie open.

TGuy''s parents do not have aircondition except in one room. When we were there, we had 2 days of 32 degrees and it felt really uncomfortable in the house. I can only imagine what it feels like now.

Stay cool!!!

 

[softly softly]

Honey you read my mind starting this topic. Spare a thought for those of us a bit further North West. I drove my husband to the Melb airport yesterday and as I drove home I watched the temperature steadily climb up past 40 - it was 44.5 by the time I got home at 4pm (I think that''s about 110 degrees Fahrenheit) and the lowest forecast temp for the next week is 37 degrees.

Honestly Harriet I would swap with you as this prolonged intense heat, coupled with the prolonged desperate drought we are experiencing is starting to feel REALLY depressing, not to mention sort of scary when you think of how perfect the conditions currently are for huge bushfires.

Apparently this is the hottest week we have had since 1908 - makes me shudder to think what it must have been like in 1908. At least we have air conditioning.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/28/2009 4:49:10 PM
Author: softly softly
Honey you read my mind starting this topic. Spare a thought for those of us a bit further North West. I drove my husband to the Melb airport yesterday and as I drove home I watched the temperature steadily climb up past 40 - it was 44.5 by the time I got home at 4pm (I think that''s about 110 degrees Fahrenheit) and the lowest forecast temp for the next week is 37 degrees.

Honestly Harriet I would swap with you as this prolonged intense heat, coupled with the prolonged desperate drought we are experiencing is starting to feel REALLY depressing, not to mention sort of scary when you think of how perfect the conditions currently are for huge bushfires.

Apparently this is the hottest week we have had since 1908 - makes me shudder to think what it must have been like in 1908. At least we have air conditioning.

And what a lot of people don''t realize is how BITING the Australian sun is. I know Melbourne would have humidity, right? Adelaide is usually drier, but I have been out in 90 degree heat (low 30''s c) in Adelaide and 110 in Vegas and the sun in Adelaide felt far worse. My skin started to feel the burn after only a few minutes out in the sun. That hole in the ozone is a killer!!

 

[tlh]

I live in PHX, AZ where we had over 100 days over 100* last year. Just imagine, Late May until October in the upper 90''s and 100''s and 110*s... SO trust me I FEEL FOR YOU! I guess that is why they allow more casual dress out here!

I feel for those experiencing the extreme cold! BRRR, I hope it warms up soon, in the Midwest... and cools down soon for you Southern Hemispher-ers.

 

[softly softly]

Date: 1/28/2009 4:55:48 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/28/2009 4:49:10 PM

Author: softly softly

Honey you read my mind starting this topic. Spare a thought for those of us a bit further North West. I drove my husband to the Melb airport yesterday and as I drove home I watched the temperature steadily climb up past 40 - it was 44.5 by the time I got home at 4pm (I think that''s about 110 degrees Fahrenheit) and the lowest forecast temp for the next week is 37 degrees.


Honestly Harriet I would swap with you as this prolonged intense heat, coupled with the prolonged desperate drought we are experiencing is starting to feel REALLY depressing, not to mention sort of scary when you think of how perfect the conditions currently are for huge bushfires.


Apparently this is the hottest week we have had since 1908 - makes me shudder to think what it must have been like in 1908. At least we have air conditioning.

And what a lot of people don''t realize is how BITING the Australian sun is. I know Melbourne would have humidity, right? Adelaide is usually drier, but I have been out in 90 degree heat (low 30''s c) in Adelaide and 110 in Vegas and the sun in Adelaide felt far worse. My skin started to feel the burn after only a few minutes out in the sun. That hole in the ozone is a killer!!

Exactly Tgal. I''m not in Melbourne (actually where I live usually gets pretty much the same weather as Adelaide a day later) and the air is usually very dry at this time of year. Although having said that I''ve lived in North Queensland with extreme humidity and I much prefer a dry heat.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/28/2009 5:00:12 PM
Author: softly softly

Date: 1/28/2009 4:55:48 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/28/2009 4:49:10 PM

Author: softly softly

Honey you read my mind starting this topic. Spare a thought for those of us a bit further North West. I drove my husband to the Melb airport yesterday and as I drove home I watched the temperature steadily climb up past 40 - it was 44.5 by the time I got home at 4pm (I think that''s about 110 degrees Fahrenheit) and the lowest forecast temp for the next week is 37 degrees.


Honestly Harriet I would swap with you as this prolonged intense heat, coupled with the prolonged desperate drought we are experiencing is starting to feel REALLY depressing, not to mention sort of scary when you think of how perfect the conditions currently are for huge bushfires.


Apparently this is the hottest week we have had since 1908 - makes me shudder to think what it must have been like in 1908. At least we have air conditioning.

And what a lot of people don''t realize is how BITING the Australian sun is. I know Melbourne would have humidity, right? Adelaide is usually drier, but I have been out in 90 degree heat (low 30''s c) in Adelaide and 110 in Vegas and the sun in Adelaide felt far worse. My skin started to feel the burn after only a few minutes out in the sun. That hole in the ozone is a killer!!

Exactly Tgal. I''m not in Melbourne (actually where I live usually gets pretty much the same weather as Adelaide a day later) and the air is usually very dry at this time of year. Although having said that I''ve lived in North Queensland with extreme humidity and I much prefer a dry heat.

I can''t deal with humidity at all.

tlh, I remember that 100 days of hot weather on the news. Arizona heat is nothing to sneeze at, but trust me when I saw this is a different beast. I feel really uncomfortable in Adelaide when the temp hits mid 80s. Add in the flies and how STILL the air can be and it''s enough for me never to visit Australia in the summer unless I absolutely have to.

 

[softly softly]

Tgal, you probably hear about the extreme dry conditions from your inlaws, but I can honestly say it is very disheartening and depressing watching everything wither away. My kids really don''t know what a nice luxurious green lawn looks like as for the last 3 years we have not been allowed to use any water outside the house. What meager greenery I do have here I have to keep alive using water collected from the bath and shower.

Having the temperature consistently above 40 just makes things worse. I generally don''t mind when it gets to mid 30s, but just the whole thought of how ripe and ready the country side is for a huge inferno is very scary. Ask Tguy about Ash Wednesday - he should be old enough to remember it.

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 1/28/2009 5:12:28 PM
Author: softly softly
Tgal, you probably hear about the extreme dry conditions from your inlaws, but I can honestly say it is very disheartening and depressing watching everything wither away. My kids really don''t know what a nice luxurious green lawn looks like as for the last 3 years we have not been allowed to use any water outside the house. What meager greenery I do have here I have to keep alive using water collected from the bath and shower.

Having the temperature consistently above 40 just makes things worse. I generally don''t mind when it gets to mid 30s, but just the whole thought of how ripe and ready the country side is for a huge inferno is very scary. Ask Tguy about Ash Wednesday - he should be old enough to remember it.

Yes, I hear a lot about the water situation when I go there. Everyone is so happy when it rains and when the reserves are filled, and yet there is so much frustration that much of the rain just drains away. Adelaide, when I first went there, which was only 5 years ago was still decently green. Since that visit, I have only seen brown brown brown everywhere. There should be easier ways to use I guess what you guys call gray water for watering and such?

When my niece and nephews take baths they use the same water - no draining and filling the bath fresh. I was absolutely mortified when TGuy first did the dishes at my house...filled the basin with soapy water, washed and then just dried them with no rinsing! His family is very water conscious.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I have been watching the Australian Open and enjoy seeing the blue skies and sun

(actually I was hoping to see some "Hotties" sitting in the audience....and I did see folks who looked rather hot)! I love the heat and would glady trade places!

cheers--Sharon

 

[Deelight]

Date: 1/28/2009 5:05:35 PM
Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/28/2009 5:00:12 PM

Author: softly softly

Date: 1/28/2009 4:55:48 PM

Author: TravelingGal

Date: 1/28/2009 4:49:10 PM


Author: softly softly


Honey you read my mind starting this topic. Spare a thought for those of us a bit further North West. I drove my husband to the Melb airport yesterday and as I drove home I watched the temperature steadily climb up past 40 - it was 44.5 by the time I got home at 4pm (I think that's about 110 degrees Fahrenheit) and the lowest forecast temp for the next week is 37 degrees.



Honestly Harriet I would swap with you as this prolonged intense heat, coupled with the prolonged desperate drought we are experiencing is starting to feel REALLY depressing, not to mention sort of scary when you think of how perfect the conditions currently are for huge bushfires.



Apparently this is the hottest week we have had since 1908 - makes me shudder to think what it must have been like in 1908. At least we have air conditioning.

And what a lot of people don't realize is how BITING the Australian sun is. I know Melbourne would have humidity, right? Adelaide is usually drier, but I have been out in 90 degree heat (low 30's c) in Adelaide and 110 in Vegas and the sun in Adelaide felt far worse. My skin started to feel the burn after only a few minutes out in the sun. That hole in the ozone is a killer!!

Exactly Tgal. I'm not in Melbourne (actually where I live usually gets pretty much the same weather as Adelaide a day later) and the air is usually very dry at this time of year. Although having said that I've lived in North Queensland with extreme humidity and I much prefer a dry heat.

I can't deal with humidity at all.


tlh, I remember that 100 days of hot weather on the news. Arizona heat is nothing to sneeze at, but trust me when I saw this is a different beast. I feel really uncomfortable in Adelaide when the temp hits mid 80s. Add in the flies and how STILL the air can be and it's enough for me never to visit Australia in the summer unless I absolutely have to.

Tgal Melbourne has really dry heat, I can't handle it I feel as if I have to push myself through the atmosphere however I am totally fine with the humidity - being born and bred in QLD probably has something to do with that.

Honey You need to come up here for a few days and ride it out, it is nowhere near as hot here as it is there, though next Aussie summer I think I might just head off to Europe - I could use a real winter

.

 

[bobbin]

I was just going to create a thread about this!

I am in Adelaide. I step outside and the heat just hits me. Hard.

I feel like I am roasting! We had 44 degrees yesterday, 40 degrees the day before, 44 today, 41 tomorrow, 40 Saturday and 40 Sunday.

But not to worry, because then on Monday the cool change comes in- it will only be 38 degrees

At 10pm last night it was 38 degrees!

 

[bellah]

Isn''t it unbelievable? Last night we were one of the lucky one''s who lost power. We were watching Nadal and the blackout hit. 8pm - 12.30am. Thankfully the in-laws are 10 mins away with a pool, so we escaped there.

Thank God for our lovely air-conditioned office on St Kilda Road. Its days like these that if I''m not at the tennis, then I''ll gladly be at work in the cool

 

[MishB]

My poor little cats aren''t coping well, they are very flat.

 

[Deelight]

Date: 1/29/2009 8:21:47 AM
Author: MishB
My poor little cats aren''t coping well, they are very flat.

Poor kitties, if they are fluffy have you considered getting them shaved in summer? I get mine shaved and you can definitely notice a difference in their personalities.

 

[MishB]

They are short haired cats, we try to keep them in the coolest places, rub them down with cool wet towels, and encourage them to play with bowls of ice water. They don''t like the fans or the noise of the airconditioner, so won''t go where it''s coolest. I feel so bad though for pets who don''t have people dedicated to looking after them, a lot of animals are going to die or suffer needlessly I think.

 

[Deelight]

poor little buggers, I would also pop ice cubes in their water, cats are fairly good at finding the coolest places in the house, I know mine are.

Maybe instead of hot water bottles pop some cold water bottles in thier bed, though it sounds like your doing heaps already.

 

[tlh]

This photo was emailed to me from my DH... from the heat wave in AUS!

 

[tlh]

The little guy just wanted to cool off!

 

[bobbin]

That poor little guy''s mother had become all disorientated and distressed in the heat and had abandoned him.

A family found him and tried feeding him some water, but when he realised where the water was coming from he jumped in the bucket!

 

[MishB]

The koala pictures really are cute, but it''s a very terrible situation. The heat, along with recent bushfires have killed and injured a lot of wildlife.

My husband was saying that all over his golf course are lots of dead possums that have just fallen out of the trees, dead from heat stress.

 

[Deelight]

Date: 2/4/2009 6:46:15 PM
Author: bobbin


That poor little guy''s mother had become all disorientated and distressed in the heat and had abandoned him.


A family found him and tried feeding him some water, but when he realised where the water was coming from he jumped in the bucket!

awww that is so sad, but OMG that pic is so cute I want a bubba koala

 

[arjunajane]

Date: 2/4/2009 8:53:09 PM
Author: Deelight

Date: 2/4/2009 6:46:15 PM
Author: bobbin


That poor little guy''s mother had become all disorientated and distressed in the heat and had abandoned him.


A family found him and tried feeding him some water, but when he realised where the water was coming from he jumped in the bucket!

awww that is so sad, but OMG that pic is so cute I want a bubba koala

OMG! Look at his cute lil wet beard! lol..

I do agree of course about the poor wildlife , and also domestic pets that re not taken care of. very sad

 

[TravelingGal]

LOL, I got those from my MIL today. You''re missing pics 2 and 3 though, which are cute. I''ll post them.

pic #2

 

[TravelingGal]

#3

 

[Deelight]

awww look at the koala tongue OMG I want to squish it hehehehehe.

 

[softly softly]

Yesterday was just, well those of you in South Eastern Australia will know what I mean when I say yesterday felt apocalyptic. For hours the sky was a sickening shade of orange and the horrible smell of smoke seeped into every part of the house. Melbourne reached 46C (which is about 115F)and 25 people are confirmed dead in various bushfires around the state - although that number is expected to rise to 40 once firefighters have the chance to look for the missing. Hundreds of homes destroyed, and I can''t imagine how many animals have perished. I am in shock at how close flames got to the town centre here and how many living on the fringes, less than 1km from where I am have lost their homes.

 

[MishB]

I know, I am in shock. Yesterday, I took refuge at a big shopping centre (Doncaster) when I came out in the late afternoon it was like a scene from a horror movie, the sky... it was freaky.

Entire towns lost, Marysville...