|
 Record
cold in TAS
Today was one of the coldest experienced in TAS for many years, with
both minimum and maximum low temperature records falling. Very cold
air was pushed northwards into the state yesterday by
a small low east of the state. Overnight, a narrow ridge of high pressure
moved across the state giving a period of clear skies and light winds to
most of the eastern half. These allowed overnight temperatures to plummet
below zero, with Orford on the East Coast recording -2.9, 1.1 lower than
any August temperature in the station's 36 year history. Frosts were widespread
and severe, with many locations recording frost level temperatures (2.0° or
lower in the screen) for 12 hours or more.
Shortly after sunrise, a cloud deck running in front of an approaching low
moved across the state, reducing daytime heating. Few locations in the state,
other than in the northwest and Bass Strait islands, managed a maximum temperature
higher than 8°. Four stations recorded their lowest August maxima on record
-- Grove (3.5), Bushy Park (3.1), Geeveston (4.7) and Launceston
(7.8) -- though most of these figures will not enter the record books as the
temperature accounting period is from 9am to 9am, and the temperature at all
four locations appears to have risen above these figures by 9am Tuesday.
 Strong
winds in southern SA
Heavy rain, strong winds and hail caused damage and traffic chaos
around Adelaide this afternoon and evening. A vigorous cold front
swept across SA during the day, arriving in Adelaide about 3pm. Strong squally
winds then continued overnight into Tuesday. The SES and Country Fire Service
attended 45 jobs, mostly in the city's northeastern suburbs including Salisbury
East, Gulfview Heights, Modbury, Highbury and Parafield Gardens. A house
was partly unroofed at Firle while a tree falling across Lower North East
Road at Dernancourt blocked the road for several hours and cut power to 120
Highbury homes.
Strong winds were experienced in all parts
of the state near the coast, with the top reported gusts 109km/h at Neptune
Island and 91km/h at Coulta (60km NW of Port Lincoln) and Snowtown (130km
NNW of Adelaide). The highest gust recorded in Adelaide was 72.4km/h
at the airport at 2.45pm.
|
