Australia expects high temperatures in September – news.ORF.at

At the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere, meteorologists in Australia are expecting record-breaking heat.

Above-normal values ​​are expected through the weekend, particularly in the southeast of the country, ABC Broadcasting reported today, citing the National Weather Service. In some parts of the region, temperatures could be up to 16 degrees above the September average, meteorologist Dean Narmore said.

Temperatures up to 40 degrees are expected

Temperatures are expected to reach nearly 30 degrees in parts of Victoria and New South Wales, and near 40 degrees in parts of South Australia. Especially unusual: the heat lasts for a whole week after the end of winter.

The trigger is a strong high pressure area that developed over the Tasman Sea. Due to the “traffic jam” of other weather systems, it progresses very slowly. “It doesn’t go away, so the sun continues to warm the Earth day by day,” Naramore said.

Violent wildfires are expected

Officials fear the coming spring and summer could be the most violent bushfire season since the devastating “black summer” of 2019/2020. During that time, weeks of fires had destroyed twelve million hectares of land. According to WWF, more than three billion animals have been killed or displaced.

Heavy rain and flooding in large parts of the country over the past three years has led to thick undergrowth and strong grass growth, so the vegetation is now being burned in a controlled manner – for example around Sydney.

The city of over a million people has been under a smog for days, causing a sharp rise in fine dust levels. According to Swiss technology firm IQAir, the metropolis ranks third in the list of cities with the most air pollution in the world today.