HEATWAVE UPDATE - WHEN IS RELIEF COMING IN YOUR AREA
Southeastern Australia's heatwave is getting more intense, but the end is in sight.
Almost all of South Australia, Victoria and southwestern New South Wales are heading over 40 degrees again today as a very hot airmass lingers. Adelaide is heading to about 46 degrees, making it the hottest major centre in the world today. This will also give the city's record of 46.1 degrees a scare.
Melbourne is also heading for 44 degrees today, its hottest day since Black Saturday in 2009, when the mercury made it to 46.4 degrees.
The heat has been relentless across southeastern Australia with very hot days and very warm nights ahead of a cool change coming to most places on Friday.
Tonight will be quite hot ahead of the cool change in southern centres with Melbourne and Adelaide both staying in the 30's for most, if not all, of the night.
Relief will reach South Australia's Ceduna around sunrise on Friday morning, stopping it from having a fifth day over 40 degrees. For the Adelaide area temperatures will rise very quickly on Friday, although a seabreeze will halt heating mid-morning along the beaches before the change reaches the city in the mid-afternoon.
North and east from Adelaide into southwestern NSW, temperatures will soar above 40 degrees with fire dangers reaching their highest level of the heat wave due to gustier winds. Any fires in the area will be very difficult to contain with the potential for homes to be lost.
Melbourne should then set a new record for the number of days in excess of 40 degrees, as the fourth day in a row goes beyond that threshold. The cool change will flood into the city during the early evening, with the gusty winds dropping temperatures sharply.
Canberra, Wagga Wagga and the rest of southwestern NSW will have to wait an extra day to see relief from its heatwave with the change not being felt there until at least Saturday afternoon.
As the cool change spreads from town to town, millions will throw open their doors and windows with a sigh of relief.
- Weatherzone
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