THE HEAT WAVE IN AUSTRALIA

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1716, 18 January 1905, Page 74 (Supplement)

THE HEAT WAVE IN AUSTRALIA

HIGHEST FOB FORTY-SIX YD AES. (“Sydney Morning Herald/’) The old year passed away on the crest of one. of the most severe heat waves ever experienced in Australia, and Saturday will long be remembered as one of the worst days in our history. The heat of the sun’s rays was terrific; a scorching wind like a continuous blast from an enormous furnace prevailed throughout the afternoon and evening; a peculiar yellowish haze, rendered more dense at intervals by the appearance of great volumes of smoke, enveloped the city, and the sun assumed a remarkable bloodred appearance, resembling a huge ball of fire. Vegetation withered under one’s very eyes, the parched land cried out for a copious downpour which was not forthcoming; flower beds were ruined by the merciless hot, wind; the grass visibly perished, and ignited, and on all hands paddocks and open fields were to be seen in flames. All these conditions combined to make the day one of the most memorable in our history. It cannot be said that the citizens were altogether unprepared for the visitation, for a foretaste of the heat wave had been experienced on the previous day, and the meteorologists of the different States united in warning us of the heat to come. The conditions of Friday, disagreeable as they proved, were greatly intensified on New Year’s E've. until the weather became almost unbearable. The heat was intense at an early hour in the morning, but the temperature continued to increase as the day wore on. Hopes had bean entertained that a southerly wind would spring up to 000 l the atmosphere, but instead of a southerly a scorching blast from the west made its appearance. The records of the show that the hourly temperatures during the day and evening were as follows : At 9 a.m 83deg. At 10 a.m 87.5 deg. At 11 a.m 89deg. At noon 9bdeg. At 1 p.m 94deg. At 2 p.m 95deg. At 3 p.m. 92deg. At 4 p.m 106 deg, At 4.40 p.m 107.5 deg. At 5 p.m 106.5 deg. At 6 p.m lOodeg. At 7 p.m 103.5 deg. At 8 p.m lOldeg. At 9 p.m 77.1 deg. At 10 p.m 76.5 deg. At 11 p.m 74deg. At midnight 72.5 deg.

The maximum temperature of 1074 registered at 4.40 p.m. is the highest recorded in the city for the month of December since the year 1859—a period of 46 years. The data in the possession of the Observatory officials show that since 1859 only on 10 occasions has the official shade reading of the thermometer exceeded lOOdeg. in the city, the dates being as follow: Year. Degrees. 1863 100.5 1865 102.1 1868 101.5 1871 103.8 1873 100.1 1896 101.4 1899 102.1 1900 104.1 1901 104 1902 100

The temperature of 107£deg. registered on Saturday, although the highest reached in the month of December since data have been kept by the Observatory authorities, does not, however, establish a new record for the city. As far as can be ascertained, the highest shade temperature ever registered at the Observatory was 1084 deg., in the month of January, 1806. During Saturday morning and the early part of the afternoon a gentle breeze from the east was blowing, but at about 2.40 p.m. the wind suddenly changed to a scorching hot nor’-wester, and blew light bo moderate from that direction until 8.85 p.m. The conditions were almost intolerable, and relief was sought by the populaoe in a variety of ways. There was an enormous increase in the consumption of water, and judging by the records of the Water Board, half of the population must have spent the greater part of the afternoon under the “shower” or in plunge baths. Supplies of ice and of ice cream became exhausted, refreshmentrooms of all descriptions were filled to overflowing by throngs of thirsty citizens, who, by force of circumstances, were compelled to wait their turn to be served; large crowds of children and many of stouter growth gathered around the public fountains; all the hotels were inundated, and publicans declared that never had they reaped such a harvest before. Summer-drink booths and chemists’ shops were taxed to their utmost, and still the thirst of the community was not slaked. ... Still the old year was rapidly passing away, and the custom of centuries demanded notwithstanding the climatic conditions that Hie e*ent should be fittingly celebrated. Despite the trying conditions tens of thousands of pleasure-seekers wended their way citywards, trusting to a cool change later on. At 8 o’clock in the evening the thermometer registered the extraordinary temperature of 101 degrees a fall of but gix degrees since the maximum was reached. Deports from the South Coast, which were posted outside the G.P.0., notified the fact that a southerly gale was travelling towards the city, and the announcement was received with something akin to wild delight. The southerly made its appearance soon after 8 o’clock,' and within the space of 20 minutes the temperature fell to the extent of 22 degrees. The southerly buster brought up dense clouds of stinging dust and sand. Nevertheless it was a vast improvement on the nor’-wester. For 81 hours between 8.85 p.m. and midnight the wind blew with an hourly velocity of between 2i7 and 83 miles, then gradually abated in strength, until between 2.30 and 7.30 a.m. yesterday there was practically no wind at all. The velo-

city of the greatest puff during the southerly change was 52.5 miles per hour —equal to the strength of a stiff gale.