Hawkesbury Heat. 18 Jan 1896. Today, the maximum recorded was 118.8 degs, the highest experienced here since 1862. = 48.2 Celsius
“Hawkesbury Heat.” Windsor and Richmond Gazette (NSW : 1888 – 1961) 18 January 1896: 6. Web. 7 Dec 2019 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/72547614?#
DURING the past couple of weeks Hawkesburyites have experienced enough red-hot weather to serve them for life and ever afterwards.
Records like 110 degrees in the shade were of frequent occurrence, and each day appeared to promise a warmer time than its predecessor.
For many years no such continuous hot weather can be remembered by that worthy and oft quoted individual, “the oldest inhabitant.” If it ever did occur, it was so far back in the dim and distant past that that long memoried and not too often truthful individual has completely forgotten it. But, truth to tell, the weather since
Monday week last has been no joke, and townspeople who have always expressed their extreme love for the Summer (but only whilst Winter appeared to be in full swing) were completely prostrated, and sought no harder task during the day than that of swallowing sundry
gallons of water and other drinkables.
The streets were deserted during the middle of the day, except by a few farmers, who, anxious to get their produce to market, braved the dust and heat and bore their burden manfully.
The thermometers under Messrs Fraser’s and Beard and Co’s verandahs were eagerly scanned by curious folk, and altogether considerable interest was taken in the records.
Many cases of sunstroke and death from the excessive heat have been reported from other
districts, but locally, up to the present time, no cases have yet been reported.
Bush fires burned in all directions and enveloped the surrounding country in smoke.
Along the Kurra- jong, at Grose Vale, behind Wilberforce, in the vicinity of Currency Creek, and Blacktown Road, the fires did much damage ; at the last-mentioned place a large quantity of the fencing along Berk- shire Park was destroyed.
Yesterday (Sunday) the shade temperature at this Observatory reached 116.8 degrees, or the
same as that attained on the 6th instant.
Today, however, the maximum recorded was 118.8 degs, the highest experienced here since 1862.
The next highest was recorded in 1878 when the thermometer registered 117.1 degrees.
During the 33 years of my experience I have never till today recorded as high as 100 degrees at 9 o’clock a.m. At that hour this morning the reading was 102.8 degrees, and at 6 o’clock this evening the temperature had not sunk below 105 degrees.
From what I have stated it will be seen that the heat of to-day is quite phenomenal. JOHN TEB-
BUTT. The Observatory, Windsor, January 13,
1896.