Temperature records smashed across QLD, NSW
AS AUSTRALIA swelters through a severe weekend heatwave, temperature records are breaking all across Queensland and New South Wales.
The Bureau of Meteorology has spent the weekend watching monthly maximum temperatures tumble in locations such as Toowoomba, which smashed its February record and it's all time record on Saturday with a high of 39.5 degrees (records go back 60 years).
#Toowoomba has broken its February, and all time record, both set yesterday. Will today be Toowoomba's first 40°C day on record? #QLDHeat
— BOM Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 12, 2017
Warwick reached 42.1 degrees about 3pm on Saturday to smash its record for hottest February day.
Nearby Stanthorpe also made an all-time record for hottest day with a peak of 41.7 degrees.
St George, near Roma, reached 45.6 degrees earlier today to break its February record.
Queensland Ambulance warned people across the state to take it easy in the heat and said paramedics went to 56 heat-related incidents from midnight Friday to midnight Saturday.
St George has broken their February record of 45.6°C, and it's not even 12pm. More records expected to fall today. #QLDHeat #Heatwave
— BOM Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 12, 2017
BOM QLD said Dalby, Kingaroy, Gatton, Beaudesert and Roma all made new February heat records on Saturday.
The bureau has forecast the heatwave will move further north to Townsville over coming days, with the extreme heat in New South Wales expected to ease.
Miles, Warwick, and Oakey have all broken their February record. Oakey within 1 °C of breaking their hottest day on record set yesterday.
— BOM Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 12, 2017
New South Wales had its own suite of broken records.
Ivanhoe in the centre of the state reached 47.6 degrees to take the unwanted claim of hottest place in the state.
Penrith in Sydney made a new record when it reached 46.9 degrees on Saturday.
What a difference a cool change makes 44 at Walgett and 15 at Deniliquin! Relief is on the way for #NSWweather check https://t.co/aOd2XIGYlX pic.twitter.com/mZjbyWhUFX
— BOM New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 12, 2017
Temperatures are due to keep hitting new records today, with some maximum temperatures not due to peak until 4pm.
Extreme fire danger warnings are in place for much of the state and 76 fires were burning at 5am.
