|
 AUS: Widespread
heat sets records tumbling
Long standing June heat records fell across SA, NSW, VIC and the ACT today
as the warm spell intensified. Days of warm northerlies
across much of the country have been prompted by a high that has been nearly
stationery in the Tasman Sea for four days. Full details are in records below.
In SA, records were broken or equalled at 18 stations including Kyancutta
with 75 years of observations. Warooka, with 40 years of observations, today
broke the record it set only two days ago.
Western Eyre Peninsula and eastern Kangaroo Island were extraordinarily warm,
with Elliston, Price and Cape Willoughby, all with around 40 years of
observations, breaking their old records by margins of 2.1 to 2.6C. Around
Adelaide, the airport, Parafield and Rosedale had their hottest June day in
around half a century, with Rosedale's
high of 27.0 some 1.2 above the previous record. The top at Adelaide (Kent
Town) was 25.1, 0.5 shy of the all time record set at West Terrace in a record
"warm wave" in 1957.
In VIC, records were set or equalled in most areas except for the Gippsland.
Melbourne Airport's top of 21.1 shaved 1.3 off its previous 35 year record,
while Tatura (near Shepparton), Omeo, Moorabbin, Ararat and Hamilton all broke
substantial records by considerable margins. The maximum in Melbourne City
was 21.5 which is the 6th highest June maximum in 150 years and only 0.9 below
the record which, like Adelaide's, was set in 1957. Some side-effects of the
continuing warm conditions in Melbourne, chronicled by The Age, are:
- Bison and addax (antelope) at Werribee Open Range Zoo have not grown furry
winter coats
- Crested pigeons are flocking to Melbourne from country Victoria
- Southern toadlets (frogs) are having difficulty breeding
- European elms in Fitzroy Gardens are retaining their leaves
- Plants such as frangipani and acacia are still flowering at Melbourne Zoo.
The unusually warm conditions extended through the SW quarter of NSW as far
as the Central West and the ACT with Broken Hill, Orange, Tidbinbilla, Tumbarumba,
Hay and Griffith posting new records.
 WA:
Further heavy rain across the South West
Rainfall totals have again been substantially topped up by rain areas and
scattered thunderstorms across southwestern WA. The heaviest falls were around
and south of Perth where Perth Metro, Perth Airport, Jandakot, Roleystone,
Karragullen North, Swan View, Karnet and Mount William all recorded between
50 and 56.8mm in the 24 hours to 9am, with most of the rain falling steadily
this morning.
NSW:
Local heavy showers in Ballina
Heavy showers had streets awash twice in Ballina this evening with 21.2mm
falling between 6 and 7pm followed by 30.2mm between 11pm and midnight. While
a cluster of showers affected the coast south to Evans Head and north to Coolangatta,
the torrential falls were confined to Ballina with the airport recording 61.0mm
and the Crowley Village site 42.0mm in the 24 hours to 9am 8 June. The next
highest total was 13mm at Byron Bay. | 
