18 Dec Heatwaves
Its common knowledge that Australia is one of the hottest countries on planet Earth, its common knowledge also that Australian’s just accept that fact that its hot when it comes to Summer, but that doesn’t mean Australia isn’t foreign to heatwaves… in fact Australia experiences of the highest frequencies when it comes to heatwaves out of all countries globally.
So what makes it a heatwave?
A heatwave is deemed to be a period of much hotter than normal conditions. This can be based on either average temperatures or recent conditions. This means that while ‘heatwave thresholds’ may not be met, an excessive period of above average temperatures may deem the term heatwave to be acceptable.
To put the terminology into raw numbers, a heatwave is a period of 3 or more consecutive days of 5ºc or more above average for both minimums and maximums. The Bureau of Meteorology has their own heatwave pilot maps which have 3 categories.. low, severe or extreme. When you start entering extreme values, this is when the health of even healthy adults can be put at risk as temperatures are typically 10ºc+ average.
Its important to note also that heatwaves are based on localised occurrences. What does that mean? it means that 35ºc on Coast is far difference to 35ºc out West. The Summer average in Inland Australia is 35ºc+, but on the Coast its closer to 27-30ºc.. so those who live on the Coast aren’t as adapted to higher temperatures as those in Inland regions. Its also important to note that not all heatwaves require records to be broken. In the more severe heatwaves, records may be challenged and/or broken, but not all “require” that to occur.
Note: If its 1 day of heat, its ‘just’ a hot day, if its 2 days of heat then its a hot spell or hot period… 3 days is required for a heatwave.
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