2009 southeastern Australia heat wave
Encyclopedia
| Early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave | |
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| Approximate affected area shown in red | |
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| Dates | 25 January – 9 February 2009 (16 days) |
| Areas affected | South Australia South Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland... , Victoria Victoria (Australia) Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively.... , Southern New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... , Northern Tasmania Tasmania Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart... , ACT Australian Capital Territory The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory... |
| Highest daily maximum | 48.8 °C (119.8 °F) Hopetoun Hopetoun, Victoria Hopetoun is a town which serves as the major service centre for the Southern Mallee area of Victoria, Australia. Hopetoun is situated 400 kilometres north-west of Melbourne on the Henty Highway in the Shire of Yarriambiack... , Victoria Victoria (Australia) Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively.... |
| Reported casualties | 374 deaths 2,000+ treated for heat-related effects |
The early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave was a heat wave
Heat wave
A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather, which may be accompanied by high humidity. There is no universal definition of a heat wave; the term is relative to the usual weather in the area...
that commenced in late January and led to record-breaking prolonged high temperatures in the region. The heat wave is considered one of the, if not the, most extreme in the region's history. During the heat wave, fifty separate locations set various records for consecutive, highest daytime and overnight temperatures. The highest temperature recorded during the heat wave was 48.8 °C (119.8 °F) in Hopetoun
Hopetoun, Victoria
Hopetoun is a town which serves as the major service centre for the Southern Mallee area of Victoria, Australia. Hopetoun is situated 400 kilometres north-west of Melbourne on the Henty Highway in the Shire of Yarriambiack...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, a record for the state. Many locations through the region recorded all-time high temperatures including capital cities Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, which reached its third-highest temperature, 45.7 °C (114.3 °F), and Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, which recorded its highest ever temperature on record, 46.4 °C (115.5 °F). Both cities broke records for the most consecutive days over 40 °C (104 °F), while Mildura, Victoria
Mildura, Victoria
Mildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
recorded an all time record twelve consecutive days over 40 °C (104 °F).
The exceptional heat wave was caused by a slow moving high-pressure system
Atmospheric pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted into a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth . In most circumstances atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the weight of air above the measurement point...
that settled over the Tasman Sea
Tasman Sea
The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...
, with a combination of an intense tropical low
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
located off the North West Australia
North West Australia
The terms North West Australia, The North West and North Western Australia have been used as a regular label for the region of the North of Western Australia and the West of the Northern Territory.- Early 20th century gold rush:...
n coast and a monsoon trough
Monsoon trough
The monsoon trough is that portion of the Intertropical Convergence Zone which extends into or through a monsoon circulation, as depicted by a line on a weather map showing the locations of minimum sea level pressure, and as such, is a convergence zone between the wind patterns of the southern and...
over Northern Australia
Northern Australia
The term northern Australia is generally known to include two State and Territories, being Queensland and the Northern Territory . The part of Western Australia north of latitude 26° south—a definition widely used in law and State government policy—is also usually included...
, which produced ideal conditions for hot tropical air to be directed down over Southeastern Australia. The heat began in South Australia on 25 January but became more widespread over southeast Australia by 27 January. A weak cool change
Weather front
A weather front is a boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena. In surface weather analyses, fronts are depicted using various colored lines and symbols, depending on the type of front...
moved over the southern coastal areas bringing some relief on 30 January, including Melbourne, where the change arrived that evening, dropping temperatures to an average of 30.8 °C (87.4 °F). Higher temperatures returned on the following weekend with Melbourne recording its hottest day since records began in 1855, 46.4 °C (115.5 °F), also the highest temperature ever recorded in an Australian capital city.
The heat wave generated extreme fire conditions during the peak of the 2008-09 Australian bushfire season, causing many bushfires in the affected region, contributing to the extreme bushfire conditions on 7 February, also known as the Black Saturday bushfires, which claimed 173 lives in Victoria.
Ten months after this heat wave, a second struck the same region in November 2009.
Records and statistics
During the heat wave, several records were broken; TasmaniaTasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
recorded its highest ever temperature; in Scamander, and the long standing Tasmanian record of (recorded in Hobart on 4 January 1976) was broken five times within two days at Flinders Island, Fingal (twice), St Helens and Scamander, while Hopetoun
Hopetoun, Victoria
Hopetoun is a town which serves as the major service centre for the Southern Mallee area of Victoria, Australia. Hopetoun is situated 400 kilometres north-west of Melbourne on the Henty Highway in the Shire of Yarriambiack...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
recorded the state's highest temperature and the highest temperature of the heat wave, with a reading of 48.8 °C (119.8 °F).
Adelaide, South Australia
- Average daily maximum 27 January - 7 February: 40.5 °C (104.9 °F) – (11.1°C (20.0°F) above average)
- 13 Consecutive days over 33 °C (91.4 °F)
- 6 Consecutive days over 40 °C (104 °F)
- 4 Consecutive days over 43 °C (109.4 °F)
Melbourne, Victoria
- Average daily maximum 27 January - 7 February: 35.9 °C (96.6 °F) – 10.1 °C (18.2 F) above average)
- 12 Consecutive days over 28 °C (82.4 °F)
- 5 Consecutive days over 30 °C (86 °F)
- 3 Consecutive days over 43 °C (109.4 °F)
Mildura, Victoria
- 12 Consecutive days over 40 °C (104 °F)
- 5 Consecutive days over 42 °C (107.6 °F)
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
- 14 Consecutive days over 35 °C (95 °F)
- 13 Consecutive days over 37.8 °C (100 °F)
- 4 Consecutive days over 40 °C (104 °F)
AvalonAvalon, VictoriaAvalon is a locality situated north east of Geelong, Victoria. Its Local Government Area is the City of Greater Geelong and its Ward is Windermere...
, VictoriaVictoria (Australia)Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
January 2009
- 27th – 32.9 °C (91.2 °F)
- 28th – 41.9 °C (107.4 °F)
- 29th – 45.8 °C (114.4 °F)
- 30th – 45 °C (113 °F)
February
- 7th – 47.9 °C (118.2 °F) (record high, 2.1 °C higher than previous record)
CedunaCeduna, South AustraliaCeduna is a small town in the West Coast region of South Australia. It is situated in the northwest corner of Eyre Peninsula, facing the islands of the Nuyts Archipelago. It lies west of the junction of the Flinders and Eyre Highways around 786 km northwest of the capital Adelaide. The port...
, South AustraliaSouth AustraliaSouth Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
January 2009
- 27th – 44.8 °C (112.6 °F)
- 28th – 47.5 °C (117.5 °F)
- 29th – 42.3 °C (108.1 °F)
- 30th – 39.3 °C (102.7 °F)
- 31st – 42.9 °C (109.2 °F)
February
- 1st – 41.1 °C (106 °F)
- 2nd – 34.1 °C (93.4 °F)
- 3rd – 32.1 °C (89.8 °F)
- 4th – 41.5 °C (106.7 °F)
- 5th – 31.7 °C (89.1 °F)
- 6th – 46.4 °C (115.5 °F)
MilduraMildura, VictoriaMildura is a regional city in northwestern Victoria, Australia and seat of the Rural City of Mildura local government area. It is located in the Sunraysia region, and is on the banks of the Murray River. The current population is estimated at just over 30,000.Mildura is a major agricultural centre...
, Victoria
January 2009
- 26th – 38 °C (100.4 °F)
- 27th – 41.5 °C (106.7 °F)
- 28th – 43.7 °C (110.7 °F)
- 29th – 42.8 °C (109 °F)
- 30th – 43.3 °C (109.9 °F)
- 31st – 44.1 °C (111.4 °F)
February
- 1st – 42.9 °C (109.2 °F)
- 2nd – 42.6 °C (108.7 °F)
- 3rd – 40.1 °C (104.2 °F)
- 4th – 40.9 °C (105.6 °F)
- 5th – 41.1 °C (106 °F)
- 6th – 43.1 °C (109.6 °F)
- 7th – 46.7 °C (116.1 °F) - 12th consecutive day over 40°C
- 8th - 34.6 °C (94.3 °F)
Deniliquin, New South WalesNew South WalesNew South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
January 2009
- 26th – 37.8 °C (100 °F)
- 27th – 39.5 °C (103.1 °F)
- 28th – 43 °C (109.4 °F)
- 29th – 42.7 °C (108.9 °F)
- 30th – 44.5 °C (112.1 °F)
- 31st – 44.2 °C (111.6 °F)
February
- 1st – 43 °C (109.4 °F)
- 2nd – 38.3 °C (100.9 °F)
- 3rd – 38.2 °C (100.8 °F)
- 4th – 39.2 °C (102.6 °F)
- 5th – 42.1 °C (107.8 °F)
- 6th – 41.5 °C (106.7 °F)
- 7th – 46.6 °C (115.9 °F)
Swan HillSwan Hill, VictoriaSwan Hill is a city in the northwest of Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Murray Valley Highway, on the south bank of the Murray River, downstream from the junction of the Loddon River. At the 2006 census, Swan Hill had a population of 9,684.-History:...
, Victoria
January 2009
- 26th – 37.7 °C (99.9 °F)
- 27th – 40.8 °C (105.4 °F)
- 28th – 43.8 °C (110.8 °F)
- 29th – 43.4 °C (110.1 °F)
- 30th – 44.6 °C (112.3 °F)
- 31st – 44.5 °C (112.1 °F)
February
- 1st – 43 °C (109.4 °F)
- 2nd – 40.8 °C (105.4 °F)
- 3rd – 38.3 °C (100.9 °F)
- 4th – 40 °C (104 °F)
- 5th – 42.5 °C (108.5 °F)
- 6th – 42.6 °C (108.7 °F)
- 7th - 46.6 °C (115.9 °F)
MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
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- 27th – 36.4 °C (97.5 °F)
- 28th – 43.4 °C (110.1 °F)
- 29th – 44.3 °C (111.7 °F)
- 30th – 45.1 °C (113.2 °F) - Third hottest day recorded in Melbourne.
- 31st - 30.5 °C (86.9 °F)
February
- 1st - 33.8 °C (92.8 °F)
- 2nd - 28.5 °C (83.3 °F)
- 3rd - 30.2 °C (86.4 °F)
- 4th - 30.2 °C (86.4 °F)
- 5th – 29.2 °C (84.6 °F)
- 6th – 33.1 °C (91.6 °F)
- 7th - 46.4 °C (115.5 °F) - Hottest day recorded in Melbourne since records began in 1855. 0.8 °C hotter than previous record (Friday, 13 January 1939).
AdelaideAdelaideAdelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, South Australia
January 2009
- 26th – 36.6 °C (97.9 °F)
- 27th – 43.2 °C (109.8 °F)
- 28th – 45.7 °C (114.3 °F)
- 29th – 43.4 °C (110.1 °F)
- 30th – 43.1 °C (109.6 °F)
- 31st – 41.1 °C (106 °F)
February
- 1st – 40.6 °C (105.1 °F)
- 2nd – 38.8 °C (101.8 °F)
- 3rd – 36.3 °C (97.3 °F)
- 4th - 33 °C (91.4 °F)
- 5th - 35.6 °C (96.1 °F)
- 6th – 43.9 °C (111 °F)
- 7th - 41.5 °C (106.7 °F)
A record high minimum temperature was recorded at around midnight on 29 January, when the temperature dropped to only 33.9 °C (93 °F) at the Bureau of Meteorology
Bureau of Meteorology
The Bureau of Meteorology is an Executive Agency of the Australian Government responsible for providing weather services to Australia and surrounding areas. It was established in 1906 under the Meteorology Act, and brought together the state meteorological services that existed before then...
weather station in Kent Town
Kent Town, South Australia
Kent Town is an inner urban suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Norwood Payneham & St Peters.-History:The suburb was named after Dr Benjamin Archer Kent, who established a farm and flour mill on which the suburb now stands.....
, near the Adelaide city centre. Temperatures recorded in other parts of the city and other towns throughout South Australia were even higher.
WoomeraWoomera, South AustraliaThe town, or village, of Woomera is located in the south east corner of the Woomera Prohibited Area ; colloquially known as the Woomera Rocket Range...
, South Australia
January 2009
- 25th - 37.9 °C (100.2 °F)
- 26th - 39.9 °C (103.8 °F)
- 27th - 43.8 °C (110.8 °F)
- 28th - 44.6 °C (112.3 °F)
- 29th - 42.3 °C (108.1 °F)
- 30th - 42.4 °C (108.3 °F)
- 31st - 41.9 °C (107.4 °F)
February
- 1st - 41.7 °C (107.1 °F)
- 2nd - 43.5 °C (110.3 °F)
- 3rd - 43.7 °C (110.7 °F)
- 4th – 42.5 °C (108.5 °F)
- 5th – 42.8 °C (109 °F)
- 6th – 45.6 °C (114.1 °F)
Wagga WaggaWagga Wagga, New South WalesWagga Wagga is a city in New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Murrumbidgee River, and with an urban population of 46,735 people, Wagga Wagga is the state's largest inland city, as well as an important agricultural, military, and transport hub of Australia...
, New South Wales
January 2009
- 26th - 37.7 °C (99.9 °F)
- 27th – 37.9 °C (100.2 °F)
- 28th – 39.2 °C (102.6 °F)
- 29th – 40.7 °C (105.3 °F)
- 30th – 41.2 °C (106.2 °F)
- 31st – 41.6 °C (106.9 °F)
February
- 1st – 41.6 °C (106.9 °F)
- 2nd – 39 °C (102.2 °F)
- 3rd – 39.4 °C (102.9 °F)
- 4th – 38.1 °C (100.6 °F)
- 5th - 41.7 °C (107.1 °F)
- 6th - 42.8 °C (109 °F)
- 7th - 45.2 °C (113.4 °F) - Hottest day recorded in Wagga Wagga since records began in 1941.
- 8th - 42.7 °C (108.9 °F)
On 31 January 2009 Wagga Wagga broke the all-time January record for the most days above 40 °C (104 °F) with six days recorded (the record previously being five days, which was set in 1952 and equalled in 1979 and 2001). The January record set in 1979 was equalled for number of days above 35 °C (95 °F) or more which is 19 days.
Wagga Wagga broke the all-time record and the February record for the highest recorded maximum on 7 February 2009, 2:50pm AEDT
Time in Australia
Australia uses Standard time, i.e: the same well defined time for a region. The proper names of Australia's time zones are Australian Western Standard Time , Australian Central Standard Time , and Australian Eastern Standard Time...
the city recorded 45.2 °C (113.4 °F) with the previous February record being 44.6 °C (112.3 °F) set on 1 February 1968 and the all time previously being 44.8 °C (112.6 °F) set on 23 January 2001.
On 8 February 2009 the record for the consecutive days over 37.8 °C (100 °F) was to be broken with thirteen consecutive days recorded (the previous record being six days, which was set in 1946 and equalled in 1979, 1980 and 2004). Wagga Wagga also recorded fourteen consecutive days of over 35 °C (95 °F).
AlburyAlbury, New South WalesAlbury is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia, located on the Hume Highway on the northern side of the Murray River. It is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Albury Local Government Area...
–WodongaWodonga, VictoriaWodonga is a small city on the Victorian side of the border with New South Wales, north-east of Melbourne, Australia. Adjacent to Wodonga across the border is the New South Wales city of Albury. Wodonga is located wholly within the boundaries of the City of Wodonga LGA...
, NSW/VIC
January 2009
- 26th – 38.4 °C (101.1 °F)
- 27th – 38.2 °C (100.8 °F)
- 28th – 40.7 °C (105.3 °F)
- 29th – 41.5 °C (106.7 °F)
- 30th – 42.9 °C (109.2 °F)
- 31st – 42.7 °C (108.9 °F)
February
- 1st – 43.1 °C (109.6 °F)
- 2nd – 38.3 °C (100.9 °F)
- 3rd – 37.7 °C (99.9 °F)
- 4th – 36.9 °C (98.4 °F)
- 5th - 41.2 °C (106.2 °F)
- 6th - 42.2 °C (108 °F)
- 7th - 44.8 °C (112.6 °F) - Hottest day recorded in Albury–Wodonga since records began in 1973.
- 8th - 40.2 °C (104.4 °F)
BallaratBallarat, VictoriaBallarat is a city in the state of Victoria, Australia, approximately west-north-west of the state capital Melbourne situated on the lower plains of the Great Dividing Range and the Yarrowee River catchment. It is the largest inland centre and third most populous city in the state and the fifth...
, VictoriaVictoria (Australia)Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
January 2009
- 28th – 40 °C (104 °F)
- 29th – 41.4 °C (106.5 °F)
- 30th – 41.1 °C (106 °F)
February
- 7th - 44.1 °C (111.4 °F) (record high, 2.1 °C higher than previous record)
CanberraCanberraCanberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
, ACTAustralian Capital TerritoryThe Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
January 2009
- 28th – 34.8 °C (94.6 °F)
- 29th – 37 °C (98.6 °F)
- 30th – 37.2 °C (99 °F)
- 31st – 38.2 °C (100.8 °F)
February
- 1st – 31.9 °C (89.4 °F)
- 2nd – 34.7 °C (94.5 °F)
- 3rd – 31 °C (87.8 °F)
- 4th – 33.8 °C (92.8 °F)
- 5th – 37.4 °C (99.3 °F)
- 6th – 39.6 °C (103.3 °F)
- 7th – 40 °C (104 °F)
- 8th – 40 °C (104 °F)
LauncestonLaunceston, TasmaniaLaunceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
, TasmaniaTasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
January 2009
- 28th – 33.8 °C (92.8 °F)
- 29th – 36.9 °C (98.4 °F)
- 30th – 39 °C (102.2 °F) - Hottest day recorded in Launceston since records began in 1980.
- 31st – 38.2 °C (100.8 °F)
Accompanying bushfires
After a slow start to the 2008-09 Australian bushfire season, the high temperatures and wind precipitated several bushfires across Victoria and South Australia. The conditions were very similar to the heat wave experienced in early January 1939, which killed 438 people and precipitated the Black FridayBlack Friday (1939)
The Black Friday fires of 13 January 1939, in Victoria, Australia, were considered one of the worst natural bushfires in the world, and certainly the single worst in Australian history as a measure of land affected...
bushfires of 1939.
Fires were also started in the Australian Alps
Australian Alps
The Australian Alps are the highest mountain ranges of mainland Australia. They are located in southeastern Australia and straddle the Australian Capital Territory, south-eastern New South Wales and eastern Victoria...
by lightning strikes from dry thunderstorms in north-east Victoria and south-east New South Wales.
The tail end of the heat wave also precipitated the Black Saturday bushfires, in which 173 people died, 414 injured and 2,029 houses destroyed at various locations across the state. Several locations around the state recorded their highest temperatures since records began in 1859 and winds gusted up to 110 km/h.
Comparison to normal climate for the area
Many areas in central South Australia, northern Victoria and inland New South Wales regularly experience temperatures over 40 °C (104 °F) for one, two or three consecutive days, sometimes more, during the summer months. During the heat wave, however, many of these regions experienced temperatures over 40 °C (104 °F) for twice as long or more, on average, than is normal for that time of year. Coastal regions and the ACT experienced slightly lower temperatures; however, these were still above average and lasted for a prolonged period.While coastal regions may have experienced shorter periods of heat wave, for the time that they did experience temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F), they mostly reached the top 3, top 5 or top 10 all-time temperature records for a number of days. An excellent example of this is Melbourne, which had only 3 consecutive days over 43 °C (109.4 °F), yet when combined with the record set on 7 February, now has recorded three of its five (being 1st, 3rd and 5th) all-time record high temperatures.
The heat wave was perhaps most extreme in northern and eastern Tasmania, where 7 of the 8 highest temperatures ever recorded in Tasmania occurred during the heat wave.
A chart of the variation of maximum and minimum daily temperatures, through the year, for Melbourne was prepared from observations between May 1855 and August 2006. For early February, this shows a mean daily maximum temperature of 26 °C (78.8 °F) with the 75th percentile temperature being about 31 °C (87.8 °F).
Energy
Localised power outages occurred throughout both cities during the week at varying times for various lengths. It is estimated that over 500,000 residents in Melbourne were without power for the evening of 30 January 2009. The outtage affected much of central Melbourne with train and tram services cancelled, the evacuation of Crown CasinoCrown Casino
Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is a large casino and entertainment precinct located on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne, Australia. Crown Casino is a unit of Crown Limited....
, traffic light failures, people being rescued from lifts and patrons of the Victorian Arts Centre evacuated and shows cancelled. The outage occurred only an hour after the National Electricity Market Management Company (NEMMCO) issued a statement saying load shedding was ending and power had been restored.
Blackouts also occurred in the city's west, caused by the three-day heat wave. It is believed an explosion at South Morang contributed to the power problems along three transmission lines supplying Victoria's west and Victorian power supplier SP AusNet shed 1,000 megawatts. On the 30th, Energy Minister Peter Batchelor
Peter Batchelor
Peter Batchelor was an Australian politician before retiring at the Victorian State Election on 27 November 2010. He was an Australian Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 1990, representing the electorate of Thomastown. He served most recently as Minister for Energy and...
announced consumers who lose power for more than 20 hours would be eligible for compensation.
Areas that didn't experience blackouts still had problems with abnormally low voltage
Voltage
Voltage, otherwise known as electrical potential difference or electric tension is the difference in electric potential between two points — or the difference in electric potential energy per unit charge between two points...
(probably due to increased air-conditioner usage).
As of 1 February, the heat wave is estimated to have cost the Victorian economy $100m during the week.
Transportation
Over the course of the week, thousands of train and tram services were cancelled in both cities, with more than 1,300 individual train services cancelled in metropolitan Melbourne alone. The cancellations were due to buckling rail lines, air conditioner failures and power outages. On the 30th, all public transport in the city was free as the government admitted responsibility for failing to provide adequate infrastructure elements to cope with the heat, as well as long-standing issues with underfunding. On the 30th, 730 (40%) of rail services were cancelled, the worst day of operation since Connex took control in 2004.2009 Australian Open
Several outdoor matches during the 2009 Australian Open2009 Australian Open
The 2009 Australian Open was a tennis tournament played on outdoor hard courts. It was the 97th edition of the Australian Open, and the first Grand Slam event of the year. It took place at the Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, from 19 January through 1 February 2009. The 2009 men's...
on the 29th and the 30th were cancelled due to the heat. A number of players, including number 3 seed Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who has been ranked world no. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals since 4 July 2011. He has won four Grand Slam singles titles: the 2008 and 2011 Australian Open, the 2011 Wimbledon Championships, and the 2011 US Open...
, cited the temperature as reason for withdrawing from matches. Serena Williams
Serena Williams
Serena Jameka Williams is an American professional tennis player and a former world no. 1. The Women's Tennis Association has ranked her world no. 1 in singles on five separate occasions. She became the world no. 1 for the first time on July 8, 2002 and regained this ranking for the fifth time on...
was quoted as saying it was so hot on court she felt like she was having an "out-of-body experience
Out-of-body experience
An out-of-body experience is an experience that typically involves a sensation of floating outside of one's body and, in some cases, perceiving one's physical body from a place outside one's body ....
". After these retirements and an intensification in the heat, the organisers responded by closing the roof and allowing players longer breaks and icepacks.
Human health
There is dispute between sources as to how many people were affected by the heat wave. Hundreds were treated for heat-related illness and 6 fatalities were confirmed, and a number of "sudden deaths" were suspected to be caused by the heat. Authorities worked through each case to determine exactly how many fatalities were directly attributable to the heat wave.Commercial news sources vary widely at the number of fatalities, some report only 2 deaths, while others speculate that the toll may ultimately be higher. 57 deaths were suspected to have occurred in South Australia and 33 in Victoria, however authorities preferred to wait for coronial reports before confirming how many were directly attributable to the heat wave.
The Victorian state coroner announced a tripling of dead bodies being placed in the state mortuary during the heat wave, filling the morgue to capacity. Hospitals and funeral homes were relied upon to provide temporary storage of corpses, even before the deaths associated with the Black Saturday bushfires created additional demand for mortuary space.
Throughout the heat wave, thousands of people, many of them elderly, were confirmed to have been treated by ambulance officers and placed in hospitals for heat-related illnesses in Victoria and South Australia. Ambulance Victoria reported a 70% increase in emergency calls during the week. It is estimated that around 2,000 people across Victoria and South Australia were treated for heat stroke and other effects of the heat wave.
According to a Monash University study of funeral notices, more than 200 people died as a result of the heat wave. A 45% increase in the death rate was noted during the time. A subsequent report by Victoria's chief health officer, Dr John Carnie, put the final figure at 374.
Fauna and flora
Baby birds, possumPossum
A possum is any of about 70 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi .Possums are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails...
s and bat
Bat
Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera "hand" and pteron "wing") whose forelimbs form webbed wings, making them the only mammals naturally capable of true and sustained flight. By contrast, other mammals said to fly, such as flying squirrels, gliding possums, and colugos, glide rather than fly,...
s were among the wildlife not coping in the extreme heat. The RSPCA
RSPCA Australia
RSPCA Australia is an Australian organisation that promotes animal welfare. It is funded in part by the Australian Government but relies on corporate sponsorship, fundraising events and voluntary donations for its income.RSPCA Australia defines its purpose as being the leading authority in animal...
received five times the usual number of admissions to its shelters in Melbourne, with 50 possums admitted to the Burwood East
Burwood East, Victoria
Burwood East is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located 17 km east of Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Whitehorse. The suburb is bounded by Springvale Road to the east, by Middleborough Road to the west, by Eley Road and Hawthorn Road...
shelter alone.
There were many reports of Koalas wandering into urban yards and houses to drink water offered by residents. This behaviour is highly unusual as the animals do not normally drink water and are naturally shy of people.
In Melbourne, a city with many non-native deciduous trees on nature strips and in gardens, trees began shedding their leaves months in advance of autumn because of hot, dry conditions and lack of January rainfall. Water restrictions in Melbourne prevent much vegetation from being watered and non-native plants did not cope well during the heat wave.
See also
- Extreme weather events in MelbourneExtreme weather events in Melbournethumb|right|300px|A church destroyed by the 1918 Brighton tornadoExtreme weather events in Melbourne, Australia have occurred on multiple occasions...
- 2008-09 Australian bushfire season
- Black Saturday bushfires
Other notable Australian heat waves:
- Black Friday bushfiresBlack Friday (1939)The Black Friday fires of 13 January 1939, in Victoria, Australia, were considered one of the worst natural bushfires in the world, and certainly the single worst in Australian history as a measure of land affected...
– 438 deaths - 1895–96, southeastern states – 437 deaths
- 1907–08, southeastern states – 246 deaths
- Late 2009 southeastern Australia heat waveLate 2009 southeastern Australia heat waveThe late 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave was a heat wave that occurred in the southeastern Australian states of South Australia, Victoria and southern New South Wales. Daily maximum temperatures during the heat wave were roughly 10 °C above average in many locations...
– the second heat wave in the region in 10 months, unusual for being in November
External links & Further Reading
- Heatwaves - Get The Facts, Emergency Management AustraliaEmergency Management AustraliaEmergency Management Australia is an Australian Federal Government Agency tasked with coordinating governmental responses to emergency incidents...
- NASA - MODIS Exceptional Australian Heat Wave
- The exceptional January-February 2009 heatwave in south-eastern Australia, BOM
- The Age newspaper article, 26 February 2009, Anatomy of a Firestorm, by William Kininmonth, on the conditions and air movements of 7 February 2009.