Friday, January 18, 2013 1:49:23 AM
Heat records fall as Sydney sizzles
People cool off at Coogee beach as Sydney swelters through its hottest day on record
ABC
Friday January 18, 2013 - 17:04 EDT
Sydney is experiencing its hottest day on record, with temperatures above 45 degrees across the greater city area.
The mercury hit 45.8 degrees Celsius [114.44F] at Observatory Hill at 2.55pm, 0.5 above Sydney's previous hottest day in 1939.
Sydney Airport recorded 46.4C [115.52F] at 2.32pm.
Across greater Sydney, the hottest temperatures recorded were at Penrith (46.5C [115.7F] at 2.16pm), Camden (46.4C at 3.04pm), Richmond (46.4C at 3.01pm) and Bankstown (46.1C at 3.28pm).
Aaron Coutts-Smith from the Weather Bureau says the office is keeping a close eye on the temperatures.
"They can still continue to rise this afternoon," he said.
"It's really contingent on the sea breeze and when that decides to kick in and move further inland."
By 4.15pm, the temperature at Observatory Hill had dropped to 35C.
There are major delays to trains across the CityRail network due to overhead wiring and power supply problems due to the heat.
CityRail is asking passengers to take care in the extreme heat and travel with a water bottle.
It says train tickets can be used to catch Sydney Buses services and Sydney Ferries services.
The race meeting at Gosford has also been called off as the mercury there passed 44C.
Canberra, meanwhile, has broken the record for its hottest January day with temperatures reaching 41.6C, breaking the previous record of 41.4C.
Paramedics feel the heat
The NSW Ambulance Service has been flooded with calls for people seeking help for heat exposure.
At least 21 people have sought help for heat exposure, with a further 84 calls received for unconsciousness, fainting and vomiting which paramedics say can also be attributed to heat stress.
In the past 10 days, 182 people called on paramedics seeking emergency treatment for heat stress.
Chief Superintendent Ian Johns says that figure is just the tip of the iceberg.
"We get hundreds more calls for people complaining of heat-related illness," he said.
"People call 000 for dizziness or vomiting or headache or generally unwell or collapse, and when the paramedics get there and do some assessment it can be attributed to the excessive heat.
"People underestimate the heat and overestimate their ability and that would be particularly so for younger, fitter Australians."
Elderly people and those with chronic illness need to be especially careful.
Mr Johns has advised people to take simple measures such as wearing a hat, carrying water and staying out of the heat.
"The better you can prepare yourself, the better chance you have of getting through these extreme weather days with your health intact."
© ABC 2013
http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/heat-records-fall-as-sydney-sizzles/23289
People cool off at Coogee beach as Sydney swelters through its hottest day on record
ABC
Friday January 18, 2013 - 17:04 EDT
Sydney is experiencing its hottest day on record, with temperatures above 45 degrees across the greater city area.
The mercury hit 45.8 degrees Celsius [114.44F] at Observatory Hill at 2.55pm, 0.5 above Sydney's previous hottest day in 1939.
Sydney Airport recorded 46.4C [115.52F] at 2.32pm.
Across greater Sydney, the hottest temperatures recorded were at Penrith (46.5C [115.7F] at 2.16pm), Camden (46.4C at 3.04pm), Richmond (46.4C at 3.01pm) and Bankstown (46.1C at 3.28pm).
Aaron Coutts-Smith from the Weather Bureau says the office is keeping a close eye on the temperatures.
"They can still continue to rise this afternoon," he said.
"It's really contingent on the sea breeze and when that decides to kick in and move further inland."
By 4.15pm, the temperature at Observatory Hill had dropped to 35C.
There are major delays to trains across the CityRail network due to overhead wiring and power supply problems due to the heat.
CityRail is asking passengers to take care in the extreme heat and travel with a water bottle.
It says train tickets can be used to catch Sydney Buses services and Sydney Ferries services.
The race meeting at Gosford has also been called off as the mercury there passed 44C.
Canberra, meanwhile, has broken the record for its hottest January day with temperatures reaching 41.6C, breaking the previous record of 41.4C.
Paramedics feel the heat
The NSW Ambulance Service has been flooded with calls for people seeking help for heat exposure.
At least 21 people have sought help for heat exposure, with a further 84 calls received for unconsciousness, fainting and vomiting which paramedics say can also be attributed to heat stress.
In the past 10 days, 182 people called on paramedics seeking emergency treatment for heat stress.
Chief Superintendent Ian Johns says that figure is just the tip of the iceberg.
"We get hundreds more calls for people complaining of heat-related illness," he said.
"People call 000 for dizziness or vomiting or headache or generally unwell or collapse, and when the paramedics get there and do some assessment it can be attributed to the excessive heat.
"People underestimate the heat and overestimate their ability and that would be particularly so for younger, fitter Australians."
Elderly people and those with chronic illness need to be especially careful.
Mr Johns has advised people to take simple measures such as wearing a hat, carrying water and staying out of the heat.
"The better you can prepare yourself, the better chance you have of getting through these extreme weather days with your health intact."
© ABC 2013
http://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/heat-records-fall-as-sydney-sizzles/23289
Greensburg, KS - 5/4/07
"Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty."
from John Philpot Curran, Speech
upon the Right of Election, 1790
F6
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