Warming up to a long, hot summer: [2 All-round First Edition]
Louise Perry, John Stapleton. The Australian; Canberra, A.C.T. [Canberra, A.C.T] 23 Sep 2003: 1.
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Abstract
In Victoria, Mildura topped a 1965 September record of 35.6C with 37.4C.
Birdsville, in southwest Queensland, topped the lot with 42.4C, its hottest September day. As Birdsville Hotel publican Kym Fort said: “It is a bit warm. It’s come in a bit early so people just spend most of the day in the pub.”
Moomba in South Australia reached 41.4C, a new record for the state. Alice Springs hit 39C, also a new September record.
Full Text
CENTURY-OLD September records were broken yesterday when the mercury rose as high as 42C across large areas of Australia’s inland.
It may be just three weeks since we kissed winter goodbye, but the flimsy dresses are well and truly out of the wardrobe for an early summer.
In Victoria, Mildura topped a 1965 September record of 35.6C with 37.4C.
In northwestern NSW, a number of records toppled. Tibooburra reached 39.1C — a September record for the town and the state. Bourke reached 39C and Cobar hit 38C, both records.
Birdsville, in southwest Queensland, topped the lot with 42.4C, its hottest September day. As Birdsville Hotel publican Kym Fort said: “It is a bit warm. It’s come in a bit early so people just spend most of the day in the pub.”
Moomba in South Australia reached 41.4C, a new record for the state. Alice Springs hit 39C, also a new September record.
Most capitals had average temperatures, but Sydney got a taste of summer, with 36C in the western suburbs outstripping the average by 12 degrees.
Bureau of Meteorology climatologist Blair Trewin said inland Australia had “the hottest September day in a century or more of record”.
“Over the next three months we are forecasting higher-than- average temperatures but we are also expecting higher-than-average rainfall,” he said.
Southern NSW, including Sydney, Melbourne and the rest of Victoria and southern South Australia would be in for a long, hot summer with above-average temperatures.
Dr Trewin said the rest of Australia also had an increased chance of higher-than-average temperatures.
Yesterday’s September scorcher
Victoria: Mildura 37.4C
(hottest for September since 1965 record of 35.6C)
NSW: White Cliffs 39.5C
(hottest September day ever in state)
Queensland: Birdsville 42.4C
(town’s September
record and 0.2C below state September record)
South Australia: Moomba 41.4C
(September record for state)
Northern Territory: Alice Springs 39C
(September record)
Source: National Climate Centre