The late 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave (also referred to as the November 2009 heat wave and the South Australian heat wave) was a heat wave that occurred in the southeastern Australian states of South Australia, Victoria and southern New South Wales. Daily maximum temperatures during the heat wave were roughly 10 °C (18 °F) above average in many locations. Capital cities Adelaide and Melbourne recorded temperatures over 35 °C (95 °F), and some regional towns recorded temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F). Above average temperatures in the region began in late October and persisted until mid-November 2009.
Contents
- Overview
- Consequences
- Human health
- Responses
- Mildura Victoria
- Melbourne Victoria
- Adelaide South Australia
- Wagga Wagga New South Wales
- Canberra Australian Capital Territory
- Canberra ACT
- Hobart Tasmania
- References
Many locations through the region broke temperature records for November. This heat wave was the second experienced in the region within a 10-month period, following the early 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave in January and February 2009, to which 374 deaths were attributed. Although the earlier heat wave was far more intense, the later heat wave was more extensive and long lasting.
The heat wave was caused by a combination of factors, including hot, dry winds caused by a slow-moving high-pressure system that had settled over the Tasman Sea, an El Niño event occurring in the Pacific Ocean, and gradually rising temperatures across southern Australia, probably as a result of global warming.
Overview
Although many locations in the region experienced above average temperatures at the end of October 2009, temperatures dropped in the beginning of November, thus the heat wave is generally cited to have begun on 6 or 7 November 2009. The heat wave was expected to last until the end of the week (13 November) with high temperatures forecast to last until such time.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the high pressure system was expected to move on, enabling a trough of low pressure to bring cooler temperatures to the region by 15 or 16 November.
Consequences
Conditions involving higher than average temperatures over prolonged periods of time, coupled with a few days of gusty northerly winds, has led to a moderately increased risk of bushfires occurring in the region. On 10 November, three controlled burns in Victoria broke containment lines after being caught in high speed wind gusts. As a result, the Department of Sustainability and Environment and Country Fire Authority suspended all controlled burning operations until the end of the week. A senior forecaster for the Bureau of Meteorology stated, "We've generally had winds in that 20 km/h range, and although fire dangers are in the very high range and today [11 November] they are getting into the severe range in the north west of the state, we're not getting the strong winds which give us extreme fire dangers."
Electricity usage during the heat wave increased significantly, due to increased demand from air conditioning.
The world's oldest sheep, named Lucky, died at age 23 during the course of the heat wave. Lucky died at Lake Bolac where she had been raised after a week of temperatures in excess of 30 °C (86 °F).
Human health
It is suspected that some deaths attributable to the heat wave occurred. Residents living in north-facing rooms in Melbourne's public housing high-rise buildings wrapped neighbours in wet blankets during the peak of the heat wave. A number of deaths occurred on the northern sides of the high-rise public housing during the Jan–Feb heat wave. Housing for the Aged Action Group has been campaigning for air-conditioning in these rooms for over 20 years.
Responses
Many sources have postulated that the occurrence of a heat wave outside of normal summer months for the region, may be attributable to climate change. A spokesperson from the Climate Emergency Action Network related, "Adelaide's unprecedented November heatwave is classic climate-change weather."
Mildura, Victoria
Melbourne, Victoria
During the hottest week of the heat wave the average maximum high was 10.5 °C (18.9 °F) higher than the normal November average maximum high of 21.9 °C (71.4 °F). Throughout the entire heat wave, the average maximum was 6.2 °C (11 °F) hotter than normal. During the peak of the heat wave, Melbourne experienced a total of five consecutive days over 32 °C (90 °F) according to the Bureau of Meteorology. This is its longest successive run of 30 °C (86 °F)+ days in November since 1896, when the city experienced a run of six 30 °C (86 °F) days in a row during November. Temperatures on 9 and 10 November of 35.5 °C (95.9 °F) and 36.3 °C (97.3 °F) respectively, were the hottest days since Black Saturday on 7 February 2009, when the maximum hit a record 46.4 °C (115.5 °F) in Melbourne, during the 2009 southeastern Australia heat wave 10 months earlier. 7.5?
Adelaide, South Australia
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
On 16 November, Wagga Wagga broke the record of seven days over 35 °C (95 °F) set in 1981 with thirteen days over 35 °C (95 °F) so far recorded in November 2009.
30 November, Wagga Wagga broke the record mean maximum, recording 32.8 with the previous record 30.2 °C (86.4 °F) set in 1982 and the mean minimum of 15.8 °C (60.4 °F) with the previous record was 14.7 °C (58.5 °F) which was set in 2007.
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Adelaide, South Australia
October 2009
November
Mildura, Victoria
October 2009
November
Forecast
Wagga Wagga, New South Wales
October 2009
November
Forecast
Canberra, ACT
November
Melbourne, Victoria
October 2009
November
Hobart, Tasmania
November