Ridiculous Winter Heat In Parts Of Australia

[J07]

All from WeatherZone.com.au

While a series of fronts are bringing patchy light rain and showers to southern WA, coastal South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, the rest of the country is experiencing unprecedented temperatures for this time of the year.

Last night, parts of NSW experienced their warmest August night in decades and today parts of Queensland suffered their hottest August day on record, with temperatures more representative of mid summer.

In South Australia, overnight temperatures in the Northeast and Northwest Pastoral regions were up to 12 degrees warmer than average. Ernabella dropped down to 18 degrees, their warmest August night in 12 years while Moomba reached a whopping 35 degrees during the day after a low of 19 degrees, their warmest August night and day for 14 years.

Further north across the NT border, the Alice Springs region struggled through one of their hottest August day on record, with temperatures between 10 and 13 degrees above average. At 35 degrees, Alice Springs had their warmest August day since records began 67 years ago. Yuendumu at 35 and Jervois at 37 also had their hottest August day in 47 years.

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Some of the hottest August weather in recorded history has brought summer temperatures to Queensland.

The heat, also affecting parts of New South Wales, the Northern Territory and South Australia, has lifted Sunday's maximums up to 16 degrees above average. The heat wave is now into its third day with many stations posting new August records on Saturday, only to break them a day later.

Cunnamulla, in the Maranoa, recorded 37 degrees today. That is a huge 16 above average and their hottest August day in 102 years of records. Bedourie, in the Channel Country, saw another 38 degrees, their third consecutive day above 36 degrees.

Monday looks set again for some more records to fall as winds strengthen from the west and northwest. All eyes are on Brisbane which should make it into the low 30's. The heat and forecast gusty winds has led to a fire weather warning being issued for the eastern Warrego, Maranoa, Darling downs, Granite Belt, Wide Bay and Burnett and the South East Coast.

Tuesday will see another hot day before a weak cool change tries to push through late on Tuesday. Further cooling on Thursday and Friday should bring maximums closer to average, before warming again.

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Meanwhile....

As much of eastern Australia bakes in summer-like temperatures, winter is set to make a wild return to the southeast.

Victoria and Tasmania stand in the way of a violent reminder that we are indeed not in the middle of January. South Australia, the ACT and southern New South Wales will also feel the cold.

A vigorous cold front is currently tracking across the Bight, brimming with storms, rain and gale force winds. Adelaide will be the first to feel the wrath of winter as temperatures fall to around 15 degrees on Monday. Winds will make it feel colder with possible gusts beyond 100km/h on Monday and Tuesday.

Victoria and Tasmania will be next later on Monday and into Tuesday. Gales with potential gusts beyond 100km/h will be a genuine risk across much of Victoria. With thunderstorms and rain, it will make for quite a wild start to the week. Temperatures in Melbourne look likely to fall as low as 13 degrees on Tuesday, although with the winds it will feel colder. Canberra is expected to also drop to a chilly 11 degrees on Tuesday.

The icy blast should give some decent snowfall to most resorts, especially on Tuesday, with blizzards and falls up to around 30 or even 40cm.

[Methuselah]

Thanks for that, J07...16 degrees above normal? That's like London recording 22C in January!!!

[Mondy]

May as well throw this in here: http://climatechange1.wordpress.com/2009/08/22/wherefor-art-thou-nino/