Heatwave

[Tale]

I know some of you are shivering in cold and heat will sound good, but consider this: grapes are boiling and potatoes are baking in the ground, ruining farmers' crops.

This weekend, parts of my state (New South Wales, Australia) are forecast to be the hottest places on Earth, at over 47 ºC or 116.6 ºF.

More than 30 people are thought to have died in South Australia due to the heat in the last few weeks, when they had days of similar temperatures. Hospitals are gearing up for this weekend.

Wild animals are crawling up to humans seeking water.

BTW my only aircon is in my car (and at work, but I don't work weekends). When it gets really really hot my PC's air cooling ain't enough so I keep it switched off.

These are the longest heatwaves ever recorded in some of the regions affected, and the highest temperatures recorded. Climate change?

[Oban]

It was -20C here this morning.

Will gladly trade with you.

[Hindenburg]

I'm just glad to know that some place in this  globe is warmer than here, even if only by 2 to 6ºC 

The grapes aren't boiling, though.

[Samwise]

If it's really hot where Tale is and really cold where Oban is, it must average out to just about normal.  I don't see what the fuss is about.

[Lt.Dan]

It's been an interesting summer.  We had the heating on in November/December.

Last week in Melbourne we had three days where the temperature was 40C+.  Luckily I was travelling interstate for one day of that.  When I arrived back in town it was still 40C (104F) at 9pm at night and the overnight low was 35C (95F).  

We don't have a garage so the car is parked in the sun.  You physically cannot get in the car if it's been parked outside for more than about 30mins.  We only have have aircon in the bedroom so the family was camped out there each night to try and get some sleep.

The train system wasn't designed for this protracted heat and each day there were progressively more service cancellations.  On the Friday the train network cancelled over 250 services including closing four whole lines.

Those poor bastards in South Australia and country Victoria have had whole weeks at 40C+.

At least next week it's going to be in the 20C's.

[voodoolily]

Cuteoverload.com also had redonkulous pictures of a koala climbing up on someone's porch for water.

Oh, these ones are near the bottom of the site Tale posted.

[Merusk]

These are the longest heatwaves ever recorded in some of the regions affected, and the highest temperatures recorded. Climate change?

I will now divert your question to the segment of the population that has been laughingly saying, "It's -20c here in the US, global warming is bullshit or we'd be having record highs not lows like this!!! Screw you Al Gore! Har Har."

Complex systems and the interaction of extreme high and low pressure systems won't enter the conversation.

[NiX]

That Koala is adorable and makes me sad to hear that they're getting desperate enough to come that close for water.

Weather over the past 2 weeks has been very weird, even for Canada. The next two weeks will see us go up to +8 and back down to -6, which will probably feel like -15 or lower with the windchill.

[Tale]

Just want to reiterate it's not just hot. In many areas these are:
a) The hottest temperatures ever recorded.
b) The longest sustained heatwave ever (40+ deg C for two weeks in some places).

In Melbourne the morgue is overflowing and they are storing bodies in a cargo container, because people are dying at three times the normal rate.

Check out what Melbourne residents are being told for tomorrow:
"If you don't need to go out, don't go out, it's a seriously bad day.

"If you don't need to travel, don't travel.

"Don't go on the roads. If you don't need to use the public transport system, don't use it.

"If you can stay at home, stay at home."

This evening in Sydney there was a strong wind blowing from inland (where tomorrow's weather is coming from) and my car thermometer measured it at 35 C. After sunset. The air is now full of smoke because it has sparked a fire somewhere. Tomorrow it's going to be anywhere up to 44 C.

[Arthur_Parker]

New research about Indian Ocean Dipole, not something I know that much about to be honest, I just thought it was interesting if true.

[Oban]

Maybe Australians need to adopt the habits of the Middle East.

Spend the summers in London and the South of France.

Construct homes with few windows and thick walls. 

Import third world servants to do the work.

Sleep during the day.

Eat mostly at night.

Religious wars.

Avoid alcohol.

[UnSub]

Avoid alcohol.

You had me up to this point. 

Australia's big problem is fresh water. IF these kind of trends continue and IF some of the fresh water projections hold true, some cities may actually run out of fresh water in the next few years. I know it is used some places, but adding recycled water to the fresh water supply is pretty much the only way forward for some cities.

[Oban]

I forgot to add desalinization plants to my list.

[Signe]

Avoid alcohol.

You had me up to this point. 

This is why everyone should keep a package of emergency herbs in their cupboard!

[UnSub]

Avoid alcohol.

You had me up to this point. 

This is why everyone should keep a package of emergency herbs in their cupboard!

Like emergency nutmeg?

[IainC]

Avoid alcohol.

You had me up to this point. 

This is why everyone should keep a package of emergency herbs in their cupboard!

Like emergency nutmeg?

Just in thyme.

[Sky]

Avoid alcohol.

You had me up to this point. 

This is why everyone should keep a package of emergency herbs in their cupboard!

Like emergency nutmeg?

Just in thyme.

Sage advice.

[Slayerik]

Rosemary agrees.

Ok, mine sucked. Sorry.

[Sky]

My experience in the San Fransico Bay leaves me with much the same feeling.

[Oban]

Sucking?

[Sky]

Sucking?

Good job breaking the stream, Oban. 

[Oban]

Anythyme.

[Tale]

Koalas are begging water from humans everywhere. Cute photo gallery: http://www.news.com.au/gallery/0,23607,5037290-5014156,00.html

Normally you never see koalas because they stay high up in trees, eating the tips of leaves. They usually get their moisture from those.

[Tale]

Well, we're not as hot as forecast for Sydney today.

But Melbourne is getting absolutely FUCKED: read this.

[Azazel]

It's actually not as bad down here as it was at the end of last week. The height may be a little more, and we've had a non-stop run of days in the 30's for a week, but a single day in the high 40s isn't as bad as a run of days in the low-mid 40s...
 
Still sucks though. Roll on 6pm and the cool change.

[FatuousTwat]

It's 44º right now in Estacada... (F)

[Tale]

Eight firefronts now burning in Victoria (Melbourne's state). If anyone's interested, you can listen to Melbourne local radio here: http://abc.net.au/melbourne/onair/774stream.asx

[Azazel]

It's 44º right now in Estacada... (F)

115º F here today.

[Tale]

25 dead in fires last night - bodies still being found, police estimate 40+ dead.

Edit - video of entire town destroyed by fire: http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2009/02/08/2485362.htm

[Azazel]

While I feel sorry for those people who live in country towns that get the shit kicked out of them each year by bushfires, I really don't have any pity for those who choose to move there or move into a nice house inside a fucking state forest. I've been of this opinion since I was a kid, watching shit like Ash Wednesday on the news wondering "why do they choose tolive there?"

Now I know some people don't have a choice, (ie born there, all their social networks are there, own the pub, a farm, etc) but for those who do, I have no empathy or pity. There are huge bushfires all over the state every fucking year. Grow a fucking brain.

**my brother (not the cool one who introduced me to f13) lives in a state forest. I don't know what the fuck is wrong with him, either.

[FatuousTwat]

I have the same problem with people who choose to build/move onto a floodplain or unstable ground.

[Tale]

It's nice there when you're not burning/drowning.

[Azazel]

Yes indeed. It's a nice place to visit. But you're fucking stupid if you choose to love there.

[Lantyssa]

I'd think it'd be a rather nice place for loving, too.

[UnSub]

I'd think it'd be a rather nice place for loving, too.

Provided you can avoid all the things that can kill you and find somewhere soft, it is. Oh, and it isn't summer.