Early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave

Early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave
232343
Dates 25 January – 9 February 2009
(16 days)
Areas affected South Australia, Victoria, Southern New South Wales, Northern Tasmania, ACT
Highest daily maximum 48.8 °C (119.8 °F)
Hopetoun, Victoria
Reported casualties 374 deaths[1]
2,000+ treated for heat-related effects

The early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave was a heat wave 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.[2] 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, Victoria, a record for the state.[3] Many locations through the region recorded all-time high temperatures including capital cities Adelaide, which reached its third-highest temperature, 45.7 °C (114.3 °F), and Melbourne, 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 recorded an all-time record twelve consecutive days over 43 °C (109 °F).

The exceptional heat wave was caused by a slow-moving high-pressure system that settled over the Tasman Sea, with a combination of an intense tropical low located off the North West Australian coast and a monsoon trough over Northern Australia, which produced ideal conditions for hot tropical air to be directed down over southeastern Australia.[3] The heat began in South Australia on 25 January but became more widespread over southeast Australia by 27 January. A weak cool change moved over the southern coastal areas bringing some relief on 30 January,[3] 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.[4]

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.[5]

Ten months after this heat wave, a second struck the same region in November 2009.

Cause

The heat wave was caused by a slow-moving high pressure system that settled over the Tasman Sea. Coupled by an intense tropical low and a monsoon trough over Northern Australia, this produced hot, tropical air to be directed over southeastern Australia, raising temperatures significantly. The CSIRO stated that "warm lower tropospheric anticyclone is the key synoptic weather system responsible for the heat-waves."[6] The heat wave was the worst in Australia's history and raised extensive debate over the effects of global warming on the country, with senator Penny Wong stating that the conditions were "consistent with climate change".[7]

Records and statistics

During the heat wave, several records were broken; Tasmania recorded its highest-ever temperature; 42.2 °C (108 °F) in Scamander, and the long-standing Tasmanian record of 40.8 °C (105.4 °F) (recorded in Hobart on 4 January 1976) was broken five times within two days at Flinders Island, Fingal (twice), St Helens and Scamander,[8] while Hopetoun in Victoria recorded the state's highest temperature and the highest temperature of the heat wave, with a reading of 48.8 °C (119.8 °F).[3]

Adelaide, South Australia

Melbourne, Victoria

Mildura, Victoria

Wagga Wagga, New South Wales

Temperatures (Daily Maximum)

Avalon, Victoria

January 2009

February

Ceduna, South Australia

January 2009

February

Mildura, Victoria

A graph of the minimum and maximum temperatures recorded in Mildura, Victoria at the airport

January 2009

February

Deniliquin, New South Wales

January 2009

February

Swan Hill, Victoria

January 2009

February

Melbourne, Victoria

Temperature graph for Melbourne during the peak of the heatwave.
Detailed temperature graph for Melbourne during the peak of the heatwave.

January 2009

February

Adelaide, South Australia

January 2009

February

A record-high minimum temperature was recorded at around midnight on 29 January, when the temperature dropped to only 33.9 °C (93.0 °F) at the Bureau of Meteorology weather station in Kent Town, near the Adelaide city centre. Temperatures recorded in other parts of the city and other towns throughout South Australia were even higher.[20]

Woomera, South Australia

January 2009

February

Wagga Wagga, New South Wales

Graph of minimum and maximum temperatures recorded at the Wagga Wagga Airport.

January 2009

February

On 31 January 2009 Wagga Wagga broke the all-time January record for the most days above 40.0 °C (104.0 °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 35.0 °C (95.0 °F) or more which is 19 days.[23]

Wagga Wagga broke the all-time record and the February record for the highest recorded maximum on 7 February 2009, 2:50pm AEDT 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.[22][24]

On 8 February 2009 the record for the consecutive days over 37.8 °C (100.0 °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 35.0 °C (95.0 °F).[25][26]

Albury–Wodonga, NSW/VIC

January 2009

February

Ballarat, Victoria

January 2009

February

Canberra, ACT

January 2009

February

Launceston, Tasmania

January 2009

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 Friday bushfires of 1939.

Fires were also started in the Australian Alps by lightning strikes from dry thunderstorms in north-east Victoria and south-east New South Wales.[32][33]

Wikinews has related news: 14 killed by bushfires in Australia

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.[5] Several locations around the state recorded their highest temperatures since records began in 1859 and winds gusted up to 110 km/h.[34]

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 °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[35] was prepared from observations between May 1855 and August 2006. For early February, this shows a mean daily maximum temperature of 26 °C (79 °F) with the 75th-percentile temperature being about 31 °C (88 °F).

Effects

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.[36] The outage affected much of central Melbourne with train and tram services cancelled, the evacuation of Crown Casino, 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.[36] On the 30th, Energy Minister Peter Batchelor announced consumers who lose power for more than 20 hours would be eligible for compensation.[2][37][38][39][40][41][42]

Areas that didn't experience blackouts still had problems with abnormally low voltage (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.[43]

Transportation

Over the course of the week, thousands of train and tram services were cancelled in both cities, with more than 1,300[43] individual train services cancelled in metropolitan Melbourne alone. The cancellations were due to buckling rail lines, air conditioner failures and power outages.[38] 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.[44] On the 30th, 730 (40%) of rail services were cancelled, the worst day of operation since Connex took control in 2004.[43]

2009 Australian Open

Several outdoor matches during the 2009 Australian Open on the 29th and the 30th were cancelled due to the heat. A number of players, including number 3 seed Novak Djokovic, cited the temperature as reason for withdrawing from matches.[45] Serena Williams was quoted as saying it was so hot on court she felt like she was having an "out-of-body experience".[46] 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.[47]

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. Fifty-seven deaths were suspected to have occurred in South Australia and 33 in Victoria,[47] however authorities preferred to wait for coronial reports before confirming how many were directly attributable to the heat wave.[48]

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.[49]

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.[43] 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.[50] A subsequent report by Victoria's chief health officer, Dr John Carnie, put the final figure at 374.[1]

Fauna and flora

Baby birds, possums and bats were among the wildlife not coping in the extreme heat. The RSPCA received five times the usual number of admissions to its shelters in Melbourne, with 50 possums admitted to the Burwood East shelter alone.[2]

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.[51]

In Melbourne, a city where most trees are non-native, notably the plane teees that line many inner and middle suburban streets, deciduous trees began shedding their leaves by early February, creating the appearance of an early autumn. [52] Water restrictions meant many trees and plants were already stressed, and some street trees and trees in parks where councils had not arranged special watering, died, or suffered die back, as did trees and plants in private gardens.

See also

Other notable Australian heat waves:

References

  1. 1 2 Cooper, Mex (6 April 2009). "Death toll soared during Victoria's heatwaves". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 "Heatwave record set in Melbourne". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC News. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "The exceptional January-February 2009 heatwave in south-eastern Australia" (PDF), Bureau of Meteorology, National Climate Centre, p. 2, 12 February 2009
  4. ↑ Townsend, Hamish (7 February 2009). "City swelters, records tumble in heat". The Age, Melbourne. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  5. 1 2 "Bushfire update". Victorian Government. Victoria Police. 9 February 2009. Archived from the original on 13 March 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  6. ↑ "The Meteorology of Australia's Heat Waves" (PDF). Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  7. ↑ Callinan, Roy (Feb 2, 2009). "Record Heat Wave Hits Australia". Time.
  8. ↑ "Houses destroyed, records broken in heatwave". The Australian. News Limited. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  9. ↑ "Daily maximum temperature ADELAIDE (KENT TOWN)". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
  10. ↑ "Daily maximum temperature MELBOURNE REGIONAL OFFICE". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 20 October 2010.
  11. ↑ "Avalon, Victoria January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  12. ↑ "Ceduna, South Australia January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  13. ↑ "Mildura, Victoria January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  14. 1 2 "Deniliquin, New South Wales - January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  15. ↑ "South-east bakes under record temperatures". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC News. 7 February 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  16. ↑ "Swan Hill, Victoria January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  17. ↑ "Melbourne, Victoria January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 6 April 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  18. ↑ "Melbourne's hottest ever day". Fairfax Media. 3AW. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  19. ↑ "Adelaide, South Australia January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 6 March 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  20. ↑ "Adelaide swelters through hottest night". ABC News. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  21. ↑ "Wagga Wagga, New South Wales January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  22. 1 2 "Summary statistics Wagga Wagga Airport". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  23. ↑ Grimson, Ken (2 February 2009). "Red Hot". Fairfax Media. The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 2 February 2009.
  24. ↑ Higgins, Ben (9 February 2009). "Temperatures set to drop next week". Fairfax Media. The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  25. ↑ Grimson, Ken (3 February 2009). "Another hot record is set". Fairfax Media. The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
  26. ↑ Grimson, Ken (5 February 2009). "Plants wither in hot weather". Fairfax Media. The Daily Advertiser. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  27. ↑ "Albury-Wodonga January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  28. ↑ "Summary statistics Albury Airport". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 8 February 2009.
  29. ↑ "Canberra January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 26 February 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  30. ↑ "Launceston, Tasmania January 2009 Daily Weather Observations". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 5 February 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  31. ↑ "Tasmania in January 2009". Australian Government. Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
  32. ↑ "Authorities keep eye on north-east fires". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC Goulburn Murray. 4 February 2009. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  33. ↑ Bibby, Paul (4 February 2009). "Storm clouds bring threat of dry lightning - and fire". Fairfax Media. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 February 2009.
  34. ↑ "Bushfires in Victoria kill 14 more deaths feared". News Limited. Herald Sun. 7 February 2009. Archived from the original on 8 February 2009. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  35. ↑ "Melbourne Mean Temperature Graph". Andrew Watkins, National Climate Centre, Australian Bureau of Meteorology. 11 February 2009.
  36. 1 2 "Melbourne blackout causes chaos". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ABC News. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  37. ↑ "Statement from the Premier's Department on the Victorian blackout". News Limited. Herald Sun. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  38. 1 2 Ashley Gardiner (31 January 2009). "Victorian blackout causes commuter chaos". News Limited. Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  39. ↑ Victoria Simos (31 January 2009). "Crown casino evacuated as power goes out across Victoria". Herald Sun. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  40. ↑ Alice Coster (31 January 2009). "People forced to walk streets in Victorian blackout". News Limited. Herald Sun. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  41. ↑ "Thousands still without power". Fairfax Media. Melbourne: The Age. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  42. ↑ Lucas, Clay (27 January 2009). "Train system completely off the rails". Fairfax Media. Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  43. 1 2 3 4 Houston, Cameron; Reilly, Tom (1 February 2009). "Heat leaves $100m black hole". Fairfax Media. Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  44. ↑ Lucas, Clay (28 January 2009). "Not enough spent, says Kosky". Fairfax Media. Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  45. ↑ "Record-breaking heat scorches southern Australia". The Associated Press. International Herald Tribune. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 1 February 2009.
  46. ↑ "Homes razed, chaos in record Australian heatwave". AFP. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  47. 1 2 Fewster, Sean (3 February 2009). "Coroner waiting for autopsies on heat wave deaths". News Limited. AdelaideNow. Retrieved 7 February 2009.
  48. ↑ Brad Crouch; Kate Kyriacou; Michael Owen (31 January 2009). "Sudden deaths rise across Adelaide amid 40C-plus heatwave". News Limited. AdelaideNow. Archived from the original on 31 January 2009. Retrieved 31 January 2009.
  49. ↑ Erdem Koch (6 February 2009). "Heatwave puts morgue under pressure". Fairfax Digital. Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  50. ↑ Fyfe, Melissa (22 February 2009). "Heatwave left hundreds dead". Melbourne: The Age. Retrieved 18 November 2009.
  51. ↑ "How much heat can a koala bear?". News Limited. AdelaideNow. 10 February 2009. Retrieved 10 February 2009.
  52. ↑ Strong, Geoff. "City heatwave sends seasons into a spin". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2016-12-01.

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