THE NEWCASTLE weather station at Nobbys was inching close to 40 degrees on Friday afternoon as a heatwave brought sweltering weather to the region.
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Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) data showed it was a scorching 39.4 degrees at the city's weather station at 3.10pm on January 26.
It hasn't been that hot at Nobbys since November 2020, when 40.6 was recorded on the 29th.
Williamtown had soared to 40.3 degrees by the same time, Cessnock was at 41.1 defrees, Cooranbong at Lake Macquarie was at 39.6, Tocal was 40.5 and it was 39.5 at Singleton.
By 3.50pm, it was 40.9 at Maitland.
Newcastle remained under a heatwave warning for Australia Day.
Nobbys weather station recorded a high of 39.2 degrees on Thursday, January 25. Last January, there was not a single day that cracked into the 30s.
The Greater Hunter area was under an extreme fire danger warning on Friday with a total fire ban in place, but it is set to drop back to moderate on Saturday.
Beaches in Newcastle were packed - while others chose to stay indoors in air conditioning - which kept life savers on their toes.
A cool change is set to sweep through and bring relief in the Newcastle area this afternoon.
There is a chance of a thunderstorm late this afternoon and evening, which could be severe, according to the BOM.
Saturday has a top temperature of just 26 degrees forecast, and 28 on Sunday.
HEAT ADVICE:
- Avoid being outdoors in the hottest part of the day
- Keep your home cooler by using air-conditioning or electric fans and closing doors, windows, blinds, and curtains
- Limit your physical activity to early in the morning when it's coolest
- Stay hydrated
- When outdoors, apply sunscreen and wear sunglasses and a wide brim hat to protect your eyes, face, and scalp
- Seek out cool places or air-conditioned public facilities in your local area if you can
- Recognise the symptoms of heat illness - including pale skin, headache, nausea, dizziness, fainting, weakness, irritability, thirst, heavy sweating, muscle cramps, decreased urine output - and call medical care if needed
- Try loosening or removing clothing, having a cold shower using ice packs to cool down
- Heat stroke requires immediate medical emergency care - symptoms include confusion, slurred speech, agitation and altered mental state, profuse sweating or hot, dry skin, muscle twitching or seizures, rapid breathing, a quick strong pulse or very high body temperature - call triple zero (000)
- Stay across any bushfire warnings
- Report a fire to triple zero (000)
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald. Email: afalkenmire@austcommunitymedia.com.au
