End in Sight for Record-Breaking Heatwave in Australia
An extreme fire danger rating is in place for the southwest region of Victoria until Monday night, March 11, with emergency crews on high alert.
Millions of Australians have been enduring scorching temperatures, but relief is on the way as the mercury is set to drop for those on the southeast coast.
On March 11, Melburnians experienced sweltering heat with a high of 37C reported by the Bureau of Meteorology.
The hot weather persisted across large parts of the state, with Geelong reaching 38C and Bendigo hitting 35C.
An extreme fire danger rating is still in effect for the southwest region of Victoria until Monday night, March 11, with emergency crews remaining vigilant.
A significant cool change is expected on Tuesday, March 12, across the state with Melbourne reaching a high of 25C.
Temperatures will vary from 24C in Ballarat to 33C in Bendigo.
Adelaide also experienced high temperatures on March 11, with a peak of 38C after an uncomfortably warm overnight low of 27C.
Most regional areas in South Australia are forecasted to have hot conditions in the high 30s and low 40s, with a total fire ban in place.
Both March 12 and March 13 will bring some relief to Adelaide with a top temperature of 33C expected on both days.
Hobart broke a record for its warm Saturday night on March 9, with a minimum temperature of 24C, surpassing the previous record of 21.1C.
The warmer weather, approximately 10 to 15C above average, is attributed to a high-pressure system in the Tasman Sea directing hot northerly winds over southeast Australia.
The temperature in Melbourne peaked at 36.9C late on March 10, with Avalon recording 40C and Geelong reaching 39.6C.
On Monday, an out-of-control bushfire in Highbury, Adelaide Hills led to evacuation orders, but fire services were able to contain the 2.5-hectare blaze in the afternoon.
The Bureau of Meteorology cautioned that these conditions will continue in parts of SA, Victoria, NSW, and Tasmania until March 13.
Event organizers had to cancel outdoor festivals and parades over the weekend due to the extreme conditions.
