Melbourne people are preparing for a hot weekend since a heat wave hit the city and made maximum temperatures higher than usual for this period. As per the Bureau of Meteorology, today’s maximum temperature may go up to 34 degrees Celsius, and tomorrow it may even cross 36 degrees; that sounds a good 12 degrees above the average temperature in November. The spike in temperatures comes more than a week before the beginning of what meteorologists regard as the summer season, and while most Melburnians should have been prepared, at least some were caught unawares and urged to take precautions by health officials.
The heatwave is caused by north winds moving a wide low-pressure hot mass on the continent towards the southeast of Australia. Melbourne is not the only city that has been baking in such conditions, parts of South Australia are already baking and inland NSW can also expect the mercury to rise to mid to upper 30’s over the weekend. It has increased concerns of possible bushfires with high fire danger Top alerts for these areas western and central Victoria.
Regional parts of Victoria are predicted to be the most affected by heat waves, with areas such as Bendigo and Nhill expected to record temperatures of up to 37 degrees. See how Melbourne people got more sleep; the night temperature won’t be below 22 from Friday night through the early hours of Saturday. It still feels like the cold wave has stunned a lot of inhabitants, with extreme heat forcing air conditioning to work to the limit across the city.
Officials are called the public to be cautious while using the public space especially during the heatwave, senior citizens, children and individuals with medical complications. Measures include drinking a lot of water, not to engage in aggressive form of exercise during the day and making sure on friends or neighbors who may need our help. Ambulance services are on stand by to register heat complications and likely possibility of a bush fire.
Unprecedented heat has also affected businesses and functions in the region as people experienced a sharp rise in temperature within the past few days. People who are planning outdoor events such as markets and games at the weekend are reassessing whether to go ahead with the event or apply extra measures to cool patrons. Melbourne’s beaches, as well as other public facilities with pools, are expected to attract crowds as people run to look for ways to escape the scorching heat, therefore, the lifesavers, pool staff are expected to be on standby.
Although the current heat situation is exceptionally severe, the heat wave is expected to last for a very short period of time. Computer climatologists are predicting an incredible change over the state by Sunday to bring relief to the city. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne will experience rain on Sunday, and its top temperature will be 23 degrees, a 13-degree drop from Saturday’s high. This is attributed to changes in weather, which is common in Melbourne, as it is ranked as one of the cities with the most erratic weather per record.
The sudden start of summer has called for a debate on the effects of climate change on temporal conditions. They explain that heatwaves of such early months of the year can become more commonplace, or even worse, increase in the future, leading policy makers to act on emission-cutting measures. It has also raised questions on various aspects that include weatherproof urban design and development, particularly during destructive natural conditions such as flood and heat-resistant construction materials in the built environments of cities, among others.
As Melburnians prepare to cook on the weekend, the city and its people have been challenged one more time. Beach lovers and even the emergency services have been forced to dodge the heat and organize themselves accordingly. Whereas some people are bleating because of the early summer heat, which often comes with discomfort, others are rejoicing because it is grilling season, mini-vacation from work, from the office or school, and time to grill and relax in parks and at beaches. As you would expect from a city with a multicultural population, Melbournians are preparing for the best and worst of what the weather has to offer.
