Queensland swelters in heatwave with no relief in sight

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/31/queensland-swelters-in-heatwave-with-no-relief-in-sight

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Queensland is facing record-breaking summer temperatures as the state’s heatwave continues to see the mercury spike over 40C with little relief in sight.

Records in the state have been broken over the past few days. Miles recorded 48.3C, Urandangi reached 47.2C, Roma 44.7C and in coastal Rockhampton the temperature hit 41.5C.

The mercury has been soaring in the state since the weekend because of an air mass hovering over Queensland. Forecasts say it could reach the east coast with Brisbane possibly facing its first day over 40C in five years.

A Bureau of meteorology (BOM) forecaster, Steve Hadley, said the hot air mass will continue to sit over Queensland into the weekend and will push the heat to coastal cities.

He said temperatures could reach 48C in Birdsville on Thursday, 1.5C below the state’s record temperature set in 1972.

“It’s likely it will be getting close to or breaking records round the state,” he said. “Longreach, Roma and Charleville will be the ones to watch.”

Hadley said Brisbane would have temperatures in the high 30s and potentially low 40s in western areas on Friday and Saturday, heat the city has not experienced since 2008.

“The main focus is the western, southern parts of Queensland though,” he said. “There is potential relief in the form of a very weak trough with a wind change likely on Friday in Birdsville but it will be making really slow progress.

“There won’t be wind changes in the rest of the state until late Saturday or maybe Sunday.”

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