Friday, 30 January 2009

MEDIA RELEASE - VICTORIA REGIONAL OFFICE

Melbourne sets heatwave record as Victoria bakes

Melburnians have endured three successive days of temperatures above 43 degrees Celsius for the first time in recorded history. The mercury reached 44.2 degrees today at 2.27pm, 44.3 yesterday, and 43.4 on Wednesday.

Melbourne's most sustained heatwave occurred in January 1908 when temperatures reached 39.9 (15th), 42.8 (16th), 44.2 (17th), 40.0 (18th), 41.1 (19th) and 42.7 (20th).

Other parts of Victoria also baked this week, with many places having their hottest January day on record. These included Bundoora (Latrobe University), Grovedale (Geelong airport), Heywood Forestry, Hamilton airport, Maryborough, Moorabbin airport, Morwell (Latrobe Valley airport), Mt Buller, Scoresby Research Institute, Wilsons Promontory lighthouse, and Wonthaggi. Many sites also set record highs for January minimum temperatures.

The heatwave has also affected South Australia and Tasmania. Adelaide recorded a near-record maximum of 45.7 on Wednesday, and Flinders Island set an all-time record for Tasmania yesterday with 41.5.

Melbourne's rainless spell now stands at 27 days, the longest since 1965 with a spell of 28 days. The four longest rainless periods are 40 days (19 December 1954 to 27 January 1955), 35 days (1 April to 5 May 1923), 31 days (22 January to 21 February 1956), and 30 days (27 January to 25 February 1870).

Dr Harvey Stern of the Bureau of Meteorology’s Victorian Climate Services Centre said the extreme heat was due to a blocking high pressure system in the Tasman Sea. The system had directed a northerly air flow over the southeast of Australia, moving an extremely hot air mass over southeastern regions.

Further information:
Dr Harvey Stern, tel: (03) 9669 4965