Grey nomads travelling in the Queensland Outback recently have been really feeling the heat.
A warm, dry air mass has been lingering in the area, with some places recording a string of days above 40 degrees. Yesterday, the mercury reached 43 degrees in Birdsville… the town’s 23rd consecutive day above 40 degrees. However, the temperature there is expected to ‘plunge’ to a ‘chilly’ 39 degrees today.
It’s not been much better in Longreach, where temperatures are expected to stay above 40 until Saturday, when they will drop to 39 degrees. On Sunday, Longreach recorded its hottest March day since 1985 when it hit 43C.
The record maximum temperature for March in Queensland was 46.7C at Boulia, between Mount Isa and Birdsville, in 1951.
Meteorologists say the heatwave is now heading east and will make life uncomfortably hot in Brisbane today. Brisbane city is tipped to reach a high of 36 degrees, about eight degrees above its March average. In Ipswich, the March record of 38.9 degrees could even be surpassed.
The weather bureau’s national summer climate summary has revealed the season just gone was the fifth-warmest on record for Australia.
“How do you cope with extreme heat while on the road?”
We have a genset that will run a box fan, that’s fine up to about 37 but being near Roma for the last few days and temps around 40 we headed for the showgrounds. $30 a day for power. They don’t like to unfairly compete with the CP, that’s why it’s that price. The CP doesn’t take dogs or big rigs. I wonder why the CP sees the Sowgrounds as unfair competition. If the showgrounds was reasonably priced at say $20 the CP would see who would rather pay less for less service. Or who is happy to pay more and get more. Two different services, should have different prices. The CP is $35 but I would hope the service is a lot better than the showgrounds with it’s donga type showers & toilets.