Severe fire danger as heat hits New South Wales East coast

NSW east coast now in ‘severe’ fire danger as mercury soars SMH , 2 Nov 18 Drier than expected conditions have put Sydney and much of the NSW east coast in severe fire danger, as the city experiences a “low intensity heatwave” on Friday afternoon.

A large mass of hot air moving across the state is driving temperatures up towards 40 degrees in some parts, fanned by strong winds above 30km/h.

At the peak, the mercury had hit 38.9 degrees at Sydney Airport, 37.6 degrees in Camden, 37.1 degrees at Observatory Hill and 38.8 degrees at Horsley Park. Statewide, White Cliffs in the far west, notched 43.3 degrees……..

Fires burn near Canberra and Newcastle

Firefighters were already battling an out-of-control blaze south-west of Canberra on Thursday night and continue to fight it today. The fire is burning erratically at Pierces Creek, about 8km from the nearest suburb……..

Exceptionally warm Australia was “exceptionally warm” last month, with mean temperatures 1.83 degrees above the 1961-90 average, making it the fourth warmest October on record, the bureau said.

Minimum temperatures were the second warmest on record, behind only 2015……

While Sydney’s October rainfall was twice the average at 167.6 millimetres, evaporation rates were almost as high at 160.6 millimetres meaning the rainfall deficient barely budged.

Elsewhere, the big dry has expanded beyond NSW and Queensland, with Tasmania recording its third-driest October on record as rainfall dived 60 per cent below average for the month.

Victoria was also dry, continuing its run this year of below-average monthly rainfall totals with less than half the usual October rain. By mean temperatures, it was also that state’s fifth warmest October on record. https://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/nsw-east-coast-now-in-severe-fire-danger-as-mercury-soars-20181102-p50dn1.html?promote_channel=edmail&mbnr=MTM2NDAwMjM&eid=email:nnn-13omn655-

November 3, 2018 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | climate change - global warming, New South Wales

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1.This month.

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