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 Heat,
dust storms in SA, NT, QLD
Maximum
temperatures today were 8 to 13 above average across a large area
of the country extending in an arc from western SA through southern NT and
across central QLD. In QLD, Urandangie in the west and Georgetown and Toorak
Research Station in the Gulf Country set new records for October heat. In
western QLD and southeastern NT, top temperatures hit the low 40s, with a
new automatic weather station at Century Mine recording the national maximum
of 44.9C. The
mine is in remote range country about halfway between Burketown and Camooweal
in far NW QLD, and has been posting national top temperatures often since
its installation in April this year. While some have obviously been the result
of faults, and the site exposure has yet to be confirmed as satisfactory,
this new and previously uninstrumented location may prove to be Australia's
hottest.
Dust storms were reported from southern NT, northern SA and around the QLD
Gulf Country today. Visibility at Marla SA hovered around 1km in dust haze
through the afternoon and evening, while the Curtin Springs NT observer reported
visibility down to 200m at 3pm.
Bushfires
accompany major damage at Uluru, NT
A
fire which has caused over $4m in damage to an Ayers Rock resort over
the past 4 days burnt through bush to threaten residences, the
school and the power station at Yulara
today. The fire, which resulted in the evacuation of 300 staff,
guests and residents, and closure of the Lasseter Highway, was brought
under control
tonight despite strong dry winds and temperatures around 40C. A crew
fighting the fire had to abandon their truck to the blaze when
wind gusts suddenly pushed flames towards them.
In the Territory's north, four homes were threatened by fire near Howard
River Park, 30km S of Darwin, though there was no property damage.
Bushfire
burns in NE TAS
A fire burnt through around 600ha of bushland east of Scottsdale yesterday
and today.
Wet
in the West
Cool,
moist southern air surged into southern WA today behind an upper trough
moving east along the South Coast. The result has been useful falls of 10 to
50mm of rain
south of a line from about Perth to Esperance. This morning, Windy Harbour,
Shannon and Rocky Gully, all to the S or SE of Manjimup, reported 24-hour totals
of around 50mm, while Ongerup recorded 36mm in just 3 hours to 9am.
News sources: ABC, AAP |
