Millions of residents across Australia can finally experience some respite as an intense, week-long heatwave begins to dissipate across the nation. The prolonged period of extreme heat, which baked large swathes of New South Wales and South Australia, has started to ease, offering relief from the scorching conditions.
Meteorologist Confirms Heatwave Retreat
Weatherzone meteorologist Anthony Sharwood has forecast that the severe heatwave will not return this week, after it began to subside on Sunday. He noted that while Australia's all-time record temperature of 50.7°C – jointly held by Oodnadatta in South Australia and Onslow in Western Australia – remained unbroken, this recent event was remarkable for several reasons.
'This heatwave has been notable for its longevity, its extensive geographical reach, and for the numerous local temperature records that have been shattered,' Sharwood stated, highlighting the significant impact of the weather system.
Local Records Tumble Amid Extreme Heat
The heatwave led to several alarming local records. On South Australia's coast, Ceduna reached a staggering 49.5°C. In Victoria, the Mallee district recorded the state's hottest temperature of 48.9°C at two separate locations. Perhaps most strikingly, Pooncarie in southwestern New South Wales peaked at 49.7°C on Tuesday, marking the hottest day in the state since 1939.
Dust Storm Compounds Problems in Far West NSW
However, as the heatwave eased over the weekend, new challenges emerged for communities in far west New South Wales. A massive dust storm struck the Broken Hill region and surrounding areas on Saturday evening, creating hazardous conditions and reducing visibility dramatically.
Local photographer Helen Murray, who owns Silverton Photography, found herself trapped in the storm while attempting to capture images of the approaching dust front. 'I first noticed the dust on the horizon around 6pm. I decided to go for a drive and try to get some photos in front of the dust, but it caught up very quickly and engulfed me,' she told Daily Mail.
Photographer's Harrowing Experience
Ms Murray described how the wind became so powerful near Silverton, just west of Broken Hill, that she could not even open her car door. 'All I could do was get off the road and wait for it to pass over. The wind was incredibly strong,' she recounted.
She managed to navigate to a parking area near the Silverton welcome sign but could barely see the sign from about 20 metres away due to the intense conditions. 'The wind was really whipping up the sand around me and I could hear it pelting the car,' she added, painting a vivid picture of the storm's ferocity.
Trapped for approximately fifteen minutes, Ms Murray waited until it was safe to drive home. The storm lasted about an hour and was followed by rain that turned muddy, complicating cleanup efforts. 'I spent all day today cleaning up tree bark, small branches and lots of leaves around the garden and hosing down verandas around the house to remove the dust,' she explained.
Familiar Yet Unwelcome Weather Pattern
Reflecting on the sequence of events, Ms Murray noted that such dust storms are not uncommon in the region, though they are infrequent. 'We don't get lots, but we get enough. This was a good one. Not really what we needed after a week of temperatures in the high 40s,' she remarked, underscoring the cumulative strain on local communities.
Weekly Weather Forecast for Major Cities
As the extreme conditions subside, here is the weather outlook for Australia's major cities this week:
Sydney
- Monday: Windy. Partly cloudy. Min 17°C. Max 24°C.
- Tuesday: Cloudy. Min 19°C. Max 26°C.
- Wednesday: Sunny. Min 18°C. Max 29°C.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny. Min 19°C. Max 31°C.
Melbourne
- Monday: Mostly sunny. Min 13°C. Max 21°C.
- Tuesday: Sunny. Min 12°C. Max 31°C.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Min 19°C. Max 31°C.
- Thursday: Cloudy. Min 16°C. Max 23°C.
Brisbane
- Monday: Showers. Becoming windy. Min 24°C. Max 31°C.
- Tuesday: Cloudy. Min 22°C. Max 27°C.
- Wednesday: Cloudy. Min 21°C. Max 28°C.
- Thursday: Cloud clearing. Min 20°C. Max 30°C.
Perth
- Monday: Sunny. Min 26°C. Max 38°C.
- Tuesday: Sunny. Min 20°C. Max 31°C.
- Wednesday: Sunny. Min 16°C. Max 33°C.
- Thursday: Sunny. Min 17°C. Max 35°C.
Adelaide
- Monday: Sunny. Min 11°C. Max 29°C.
- Tuesday: Sunny. Min 15°C. Max 32°C.
- Wednesday: Sunny. Min 16°C. Max 32°C.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny. Min 15°C. Max 31°C.
Hobart
- Monday: Cloudy. Min 10°C. Max 22°C.
- Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Min 11°C. Max 25°C.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Min 13°C. Max 27°C.
- Thursday: Cloudy. Min 15°C. Max 21°C.
Canberra
- Monday: Sunny. Min 7°C. Max 24°C.
- Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Min 8°C. Max 28°C.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Min 10°C. Max 33°C.
- Thursday: Partly cloudy. Min 15°C. Max 35°C.
Darwin
- Monday: Showers. Possible storm. Min 25°C. Max 31°C.
- Tuesday: Showers. Possible storm. Min 25°C. Max 31°C.
- Wednesday: Showers. Storm. Min 24°C. Max 31°C.
- Thursday: Showers. Storm developing. Min 25°C. Max 31°C.
The Broken Hill region endured the dust storm from approximately 6pm on Saturday, capping off a week of extreme weather that tested communities across multiple states.
