Dele van Australië, Sydney ingesluit, het deur die warmste November-aand op rekord geswoeg met temperature wat waarskynlik Sondag hoog sal bly — wat owerhede aanspoor om 'n totale brandverbod uit te reik.
In Sydney, temperatures surpassed 40 grade Celsius (104 grade Fahrenheit) op Saterdag, while swathes of western New South Wales, South Australia and northern Victoria baked through even higher temperatures nearing 45 grade Celsius (113 grade Fahrenheit).
Temperatures are expected to cross 40 degrees Celsius for a second straight day on Sunday, while the Bureau of Meteorology has predicted a five or six-day heatwave for parts of northern New South Wales and southeast Queensland.
The predictions for soaring temperatures prompted the Australian Energy Market Operator to say demand may exceed supply in New South Wales on Sunday afternoon.
Australia has been experiencing hotter and longer summers with last season dubbed “Black Summer” by Prime Minister Scott Morrison due to unusually prolonged and intense bushfires that burned nearly 12 million hectares (30 million acres), vermoor 33 people and an estimated 1 billion animals.
The Rural Fire Service issued a total fire ban for most of eastern and northeastern New South Wales for Sunday, saying there was a “very high to severe fire danger forecast” as hot, gusty winds exacerbate dry conditions.
