‘Historic’: Australia Day event cancelled as record-breaking heatwave smashes Adelaide

Southeast Australia will swelter through an extreme heatwave this week, with record-breaking temperatures nearing 50C and stifling overnight conditions offering little respite.

The heatwave is expected to last into the weekend, with gusty south-westerly winds on Tuesday and Wednesday heightening the risk of fire danger.

Widespread maximum temperatures above 45C have already been felt across parts of the nation with Oodnadatta in South Australia recording 48.5C and Hay in NSW reaching 47.2C.

Meteorologist Sarah Scully said maximum temperatures only told half the story.

“It’s the overnight minimums that are contributing to this persistent heatwave event,” she said.

Minimum overnight temperatures in South Australia were recorded at 34C in Oodnadatta and 32C in Leigh Creek with maximum temperatures forecast to exceed 45C again on Australia Day.

A trough will move through the southeastern parts of South Australia on Tuesday morning before it reaches southwestern Victoria during the afternoon, with record-breaking temperatures forecast.

Mildura is expected to reach a top of 49C and Melbourne will hit 44C, while the NSW city of Broken Hill is expected to reach 47C.

“If you want to go back to see when we last saw maximum temperatures of 44 degrees or above, you’d have to go back to 2009 during Black Saturday,” Ms Scully said.

Ms Scully said the windy conditions would not be as strong as last Saturday but they were expecting very gusty south-westerly winds in its wake.

“That trough will continue its eastwards progression to reach the Melbourne area late (Tuesday) evening,” she said.

Extreme fire conditions are forecast across southeastern parts of South Australia, as well as western and central Victoria, including Melbourne.

Thunderstorms are also expected but BOM predicts the rain will evaporate before it reaches the ground leading to an increased risk of dry lightening and the potential for new fires.

Coastal areas will experience a cooler change on Wednesday, but the heat will linger across inland areas with temperatures pushing towards 5oC.

Southwestern parts of Queensland and inland parts of NSW are expected to reach 49C on Wednesday.

“The fire dangers on Wednesday are expected to be elevated or reach extreme throughout southeastern parts of South Australia and western Victoria, and that’s because that’s where those gusty south-westerly winds are expected to persist,” Ms Scully said.

“There’s the potential for dry lightning to ignite new fires across the region, and as well, this heatwave, these overnight temperatures failing to get down, create very difficult conditions to sleep, and as well, increase the chances of heat stress or even heat stroke.”

An Australia Day event in Adelaide has been cancelled as a “historic” and extreme heatwave grips parts of the country.

Residents in the South Australian capital are set to swelter as temperatures reach 45C on Monday, potentially marking the hottest Australia Day on record for the state.

A series of heat records are forecast to tumble over the coming days as the country’s extreme weather conditions show no sign of abating.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said the “historic” heatwave was sparked by “non-stop” tropical lows and rain across northern Australia.

“As that air sinks, it warms and dries out, and you can get these big domes of heat that normally sit over central and inland Australia,” he told NewsWire.

“This week, thanks to a high in the Tasman Sea, remnants of ex-tropical cyclone Luna (are) moving down through Western Australia.

“This heat has got trapped between all these weather systems, so that bubble of heat is sitting over southeastern Australia, surrounded by weather everywhere else.”

Mr Narramore said the blistering heat had the potential to smash temperature records in the country’s south.

“From (Monday) right through the end of the week, many areas are looking at days of maximum temperatures in the mid-to-high 40s, with severe heatwave conditions across all of southeastern Australia,” he said.

“Extreme heatwave conditions (are) possible for some areas through inland parts of Victoria, NSW and South Australia.”

Australia Day celebrations canned

Scorching conditions are again expected for most of the country on Australia Day, with temperatures reaching the mid to high 40s in some parts.

The mercury is forecast to tip to 45C by 4.30pm in Adelaide.

The city is then forecast to peak at 41C on Tuesday, with Melbourne at 43C.

If the South Australian capital did reach that mark, it would represent its hottest Australia Day on record, Mr Narramore said.

“We’re likely to see many locations approach or exceed not only their January maximum temperature records, but some locations could possibly approach or exceed their all-time maximum temperature records,” he said.

Due to the blistering heat, organisers in Adelaide have been forced to cancel the annual Aus Lights on the River event at Elder Park/Tarntanya Wama for Australia Day.

“Despite our best efforts and ongoing consultation with emergency services and key authorities, we have not been able to safely proceed (with the event),” Australia Day Council of South Australia chief executive Jan Chorley said.

“While we are incredibly disappointed, the safety of our community must always come first.”

A heatwave warning is in place for the Adelaide metro area and its surrounds, including Clare, Kingscote, Maitland, Mount Barker, Narracoorte, Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Renmark, Roxby Downs and the Barossa Valley.

The mercury will likely reach the high 30s to high 40s between Monday and Wednesday across coastal regions of the state, with overnight temperatures peaking in the mid 20s to low 30s on Monday evening.

The Bureau has cautioned residents to stay out of the “dangerous” heat, especially the elderly, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women and those with medical conditions.

“Seek a place to keep cool, such as your home, a library, community centre or shopping centre,” the website read.

“Close your windows and draw blinds, curtains or awnings early in the day to keep the heat out of your home.”

The bureau’s website warned severe to locally extreme heatwave conditions will stick around for an “extended period”, with sizzling temperatures not expected to ease until the end of next weekend.

South Australia isn’t the only state with sweltering conditions.

Victoria is preparing for the worst heatwave conditions in almost 20 years.

“It was 2009 ahead of the bushfires where we saw those prevailing conditions,” Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch said.

Mildura, Walpeup and Ouyen in Victoria’s northwest are forecast to hit 49C on Tuesday.

“If that occurred, that’d be an all-time record for those locations,” Mr Narramore said.

“48C and 45C is likely on the other side of the order, with many locations looking at their hottest January on record.”

If the mercury tips to 49C on Tuesday, it will break the record set in 2009 in Hopetoun, which reached a peak of 48.8C.

Mr Narramore said the heat would spread through parts of eastern South Australia and western and northern Victoria on Tuesday before moving to inland NSW.

“Temperatures (are) likely to be 48C to 49C through (inland NSW) on Thursday and Friday,” he said.

An extreme fire danger warning is in place in western Victoria and southern parts of South Australia on Tuesday.

There won’t be relief from the heat until the weekend when a cold front is forecast to finally rupture the heatwave.

Victorians enjoyed a break from the extreme heat on Sunday, but bureau meteorologist Sarah Scully warned that wind gusts would elevate the fire danger.

“Now the gusty winds associated with the trough will move into northeastern parts of Victoria, elevating the fire dangers there, reaching extreme, which is significant as there continues to be a number of ongoing fires,” Ms Scully said.

“Communities within this area are advised to make sure they stay up to date with the latest information from their local emergency services.”

‘Leave now’: Bushfires rip through Victoria

The state’s bushfires have been burning for weeks, claiming 434 homes and 1054 outbuildings, with more than 34,000 livestock killed.

Communities in Victoria’s Otways have been urged to take action after a bushfire at Carlisle River, burning for the past two weeks, escaped containment on Saturday.

There are 12 bushfires currently burning through the state.

Shortly after 7pm, an emergency warning was issued for towns including Barongarook, Kawarren and Gellibrand after the blaze began moving in a different direction.

“It is too late to leave the area safely so you must take shelter now,” the alert reads.

“You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive.”

The out-of-control bushfire had been travelling in a southern direction, but a late wind change has pushed the fire in a north-easterly direction.

Embers are starting small fires up to 5km ahead of the front, authorities warn.

Multiple watch and act warnings are in place across the state.

A bushfire in Carlisle River remains out of control and moving in a northerly direction towards Barongarook.

A warning is in place for Barongarook West, Birregurra, Coram, Elliminyt, Gerangamete, Irrewillipe East, Larpent, Murroon, Tulloh, Yeo, Yeodene, Forrest, Barramunga, Barwon Downs, Charleys Creek and Yaugher.

Residents in Nariel Gap, Nariel Valley, McNamara Crossing, Staceys Bridge, Thowgla Upper, Thowgla Valley and the surrounds have been told to “leave now” after a bushfire sparked at the Mt Lawson State Park earlier in January and spread through the Wabba Wilderness Park, remaining out of control.

“Don’t wait, leaving now is the safest option – conditions may change and get worse very quickly,” The VicEmergency website reads.

Holidaygoers have been barred from entering the Wonnangara Valley (Wonnangatta – Dargo Complex) region in the state’s northeast due to an out of control bushfire.

A watch and act warning is in place for Abbeyard, Arbuckle, Billabong, Black Snake Creek, Budgee Budgee, Castleburn, Cobbannah, Cowa, Crooked River, Dargo, Gibbs, Grant, Hawkhurst, Hogtown, Howitt Plains, Howittville, Maguires, Miowera, Moornapa, Moroka, Naarun, Peter the Swede, Selwyn, Shepherdson, Talbotville, Toolome, Waterford, Winchester, Wongungarra, and Wonnangatta.

Smoke in Melbourne

Melbourne locals woke to the smell of smoke on Sunday as a result of the Carlisle River fire.

“I thought my building was on fire. I have a view of the CBD from my balcony an it’s engulfed in smoke,” one person wrote.

“Just walked out of a venue in Collingwood and the air’s so thick with smoke and smells like a bonfire,” another Reddit user said.