Soaring temperatures disrupt rail services and prompt fire bans
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Version 0 of 1. Temperatures have soared over much of south-east Australia, disrupting Melbourne’s train network and prompting total fire bans in parts of Victoria, NSW and Tasmania. Melbourne experienced a 40C high on Thursday afternoon, its hottest December day in three years. Adelaide was forecast 43C while Griffith and Broken Hill in western NSW were also expected to hit the 40C mark. Sydney was expected to reach a top of 28C and Canberra 35C. Total fire bans were put in place in three regions of northern Victoria. There was also a fire ban in the Riverina district in south-eastern NSW. The heat took its toll on Melbourne’s train system, with operator Metro deciding to cancel nearly 50 services ahead of the heatwave owing to the speed limit that applies to trains once it reaches 38C. The regional V/Line service was running to a “heat timetable” with slower speeds and the replacement of some trains with buses. Ambulance Victoria said people needed to have a plan to deal with the extreme heat, urging Victorians to avoid leaving children unattended in the sun and to be vigilant of elderly and frail people. The bureau of meteorology said Melbourne would experience a “cool change” on Friday afternoon although the heat was expected to soar for Sydney, with temperatures set to reach 39C in western Sydney on Friday. The bureau said the heat had been caused by a high-pressure system in the Tasman Sea that was moving slowly eastwards. Friday will see winds increase, triggering cooler conditions for some areas. The hot weather in the eastern states follows high temperatures in Western Australia. Perth experienced five days above 35C between 12 December and 16 December, peaking at 40C. Australia has just had its warmest-ever spring, which followed its warmest-ever winter. 2013 is expected to be Australia’s warmest year on record. "This is the first heat wave of the summer, so it's important to stay hydrated and avoid prolonged exposure to heat,” said Alasdair Hainsworth, assistant director for weather services at the bureau. "Holidaymakers are urged to be mindful of the weather conditions in making their travel plans and visit the bureau's website for detailed forecast information in your local area. "Fire dangers are expected to be very high to extreme across several states and the public is urged to check these in their local area.” Our editors' picks for the day's top news and commentary delivered to your inbox each morning. |