While grey nomads have been expecting things to start warming up a bit out on the open road, many have been getting a lot more than they bargained for!
In many parts of the country temperatures are soaring to unseasonably high levels, with some reaching new records. Travellers currently in the Queensland town of Birdsville may be able to claim they experienced Australia’s hottest-ever spring day, with a baking 43C expected.
Forecasters say the record of 43.1C set in Roebuck, Western Australia, could be in danger.
Other towns in Queensland’s channel country will not be far behind Birdsville, with Bedourie, Boulia, Quilpie, Thargomindah and Windorah headed for 42C as another spring heatwave sweeps parts of the state.
The Bureau of Meteorology says outback Queensland is being hit by a blast of hot air drawn down from the country’s north.
“There’s a lot of warm air in the upper atmosphere,” meteorologist Adam Blazak told AAP. “Not only is it windy, it’s also sinking and as it sinks it warms even more.”
For grey nomads who are feeling the heat in the Birdsville area, there could be some respite on its way. Tomorrow warm air will be replaced by much cooler air from the south with Birdsville expected to be 12 degrees cooler at 31C, and by Saturday the maximum temperature will be just 24C.
However, the warm air mass will be moving towards the coast with temperatures in Queensland’s southeast to soar tomorrow. Brisbane can expect to spike at 36C. The hot, windy conditions have many communities bracing themselves for an elevated bushfire risk.
We have today crossed the Barkly Tablelands from Camooweal to Tennant Creek. We over nighted on the Georgina River free camping and it was HOT but cool this morning, left early and arrived and booked a powered site to get the air con going and a swim in the pool. A well spent $32.. I guess the budget will get a bit of a hit as we wander down the Hwy all the way to Yulara. 38 here at the moment 40 predicted for tomorrow. Ahhhh Air Con.