Water The Only Place To Be As Thousands Hit Beaches To Escape The Heat
Newcastle Herald
Monday January 20, 2003
SWELTERING conditions drew thousands of suffering citizens from homes and into the water across the Hunter and Central Coast at the weekend.
The mercury soared to 39 degrees at Nobbys Head on Saturday and 41 degrees at Newcastle University, both temperatures the highest at those sites so far this summer.
The top Hunter temperature for the day was 42 degrees, at Tocal, and on the Central Coast, 43 degrees, at Gosford.
Sydney was hit particularly hard by the searing conditions, with some suburbs in the west registering their highest temperatures since measurements were introduced.
Bankstown and Parramatta, in Sydney's west, recorded 45 degrees and many other suburbs reported temperatures up to 44 degrees.
Beach inspectors throughout the Hunter and Central Coast were kept busy until late in the day with huge crowds of swimmers.
A Nobbys Surf Life Saving Club spokesman said many had stayed in the water until late in the day to avoid the stifling conditions.
"It was pretty crazy here," he said.
"It was just that hot that everyone wanted to get in the water and people were here until the light was going, because the conditions continued right on into the evening."
NSW Ambulance officers reported a routine day at work despite the scorching temperatures.
"It was a totally ordinary day, probably because people were educated enough to take the proper precautions; so it was good for us," a spokesman said.
Temperatures across NSW dropped to the 20s yesterday but were forecast to pick up again today and peak in the high 30s tomorrow.
Total fire bans are in force across most parts of the state, including the Hunter and Central Coast, for today.
As fires ravaged parts of eastern Australia, South Australian authorities were on high alert yesterday with very hot conditions gripping the state.
Central Coast residents spent yesterday recuperating from meltdown conditions on Saturday.
As though the unrelenting heat was not enough, 25,000 homes between The Entrance and Terrigal lost power as the temperature hit 43 degrees in the afternoon.
EnergyAustralia spokesman Alec Brown said the blackout was caused by the failure of two feeder lines at the Long Jetty sub-station.
"The first feeder failed because of a tree touching the powerlines but we are investigating why the second one failed," Mr Brown said.
Central Coast lifesaving officer Stewart Harvey said lifesavers experienced one of their busiest days.
He estimated 50 rescues were made on the day.
HEAT WAVE
Top temperatures for the weekend
Nobbys Head 39 24
Newcastle
University 41 26
Cessnock 40 30
Maitland 40 29
Scone 37 34
Singleton 41 31
Williamtown 41 27
Tocal 42 n/a
Gosford 43 26
© 2003 Newcastle Herald