HEAT WAVE CONDITIONS. 13 Nov. 1911. William Cheek. 113deg = 45 Degrees Celsius.
HEAT WAVE CONDITIONS. (1911, November 13). The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW : 1883 – 1930), p. 6. Retrieved November 13, 2023, from https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/239194862?searchTerm=spring%20heat%20wave#
SOME HIGH TEMPERATURES. WELCOME SOUTHERLY.
Since last Tuesday, due to the influence of a very extensive disturbance of combined mon-
soonal and Antarctic character, there has been a marked tendency to heat wave conditions al-
most generally over Australia. Numerous stations in various parts of the continent reached
well over 100deg., more particularly in western, northern, central, and eastern portions, com-
prising in all about three-fourths of the mainland.
On Saturday the weather chart showed a disturbance of considerable magnitude over prac-
tically the whole of the north-eastern half of Australia, but it is so elongated that but a few
hundred miles separates the cool southerly change on its western side from the hot northerlies influenced by the isobars of its eastern side.
Cooler weather now rules over the southern parts of the States, or south of a line joining Sydney and Alice Springs and Onslow (in the north-west of W.A.). The highest temperatures advised on Saturday were : —
“William Cheek 113deg., Charlotte Waters 112, 111 at Marble Bar, 108 each at Alice Springs, Farina, and Boulia and 107 each at Hall’s Creek, Nullagine, and Windorah. In New South
Wales the highest reported on Saturday was 105deg. at Mogil, Tibooburra. In extreme north-
west corner) 104; White Cliffs 103, Bourke, Wilcannia, and Wentworth each 101, and Brewar-
rina, Broken-hill, Menindie, Euston, Mungindi, and Moree each 100.
As a consequence of the hot and dry conditions experienced generally over the continent, little or no rain has been recorded during the past few days. In New South Wales, the only precipitation reported was one point at Deniliquin.
Associated with the extensive southerly change, however, considerable cloud areas have formed in each of the States; Indeed, the most since the beginning of the month. The night temperatures in Now South Wales were mostly in the 50’s and 60’s (deg.), and even in the tablelands they sable no lower than 40deg., except at Rockley, with 39deg. — the lowest in the State.
Sydney, after a cloudless and dewy night, on Saturday opened with a thick smoke fog in the city and on the Harbor, which partially obscured the landscape in various parts. Temperatures rose rapidly from the early morning minimum, 59.8 degree, to 79.1 at 9 a.m., and the relative humidity at that hour stood at 42 per cent.
This represents a good deal more moisture in the atmosphere than during the hot, dry experience of last Tuesday and Wednesday, when the humidity records were in the )0’s (per cent.).
As a consequence conditions at Sydney were sultry and muggy until 10.30 a.m., when the max-
mum reached 85.4deg. Just, at that time the wind suddenly veered to squally southerly, and the temperature immediately dropped and the humidity rose. By 10.30 a.m. the temperature had fallen to 70.5deg., or 8.9deg. lower than 20 minutes before, and the humidity had increased by 17 per cent.
The southerly reached Sydney in gusts, the strongest of which was 50 miles per hour at about 10.30 a.m., and between 10.30 and 11 a.m. the wind blew with a mean hourly velocity of 30 miles.
Thundery looking clouds were a feature of the forenoon, but by noon these had almost entirely disappeared.
Judging from reports received by the weather Bureau on Saturday, temperatures in the north-
east quadrant, which up to then had not been affected by the southerly change, were still very
high. Walgett reported 108 deg. under the influence of a hot north-eastorly wind. Dubbo regis-
tered 103deg. The Moree temperature at 9 a.m. on Saturday was 90deg., but at midday it reached 108.5deg.
BATHURST, Saturday.— Today was the hottest day of the season in Bathurst, 93 degrees being registered.
Big bush fires are raging along the mountains sides to the north-east of the city.
KEMPSEY. Saturday.— The thermometer readings for the last three days are:— Thursday, 99deg.; Friday 93;
MUDGEE, Saturday.— To-day was the hottest and most unpleasant this season. All day long a burning strong wind has been blowing, accompanied by clouds of dust. The thermometer registered 92deg. in the shade.
WALGETT, Saturday.— The weather is very oppressive. The thermometer registercd 108deg. in the shade today
WEST MAITLAND, Saturday.— The weather during the past week has been very warm, but today was the hottest of the season, 104deg. being registered.