BRACE yourself, it is going to be a scorching start to 2016.
New Year’s Eve revellers should probably dunk themselves in an Esky full of ice rather than their beers.
South Australia is expected to ride out the rest of 2015 on a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures already in the mid-30s today.
Total fire bans have been declared in seven South Australian districts with the temperature set to climb to 38 degrees in Adelaide and remain for the next three days.
Severe fire danger is forecast for West Coast, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Mount Lofty Ranges, Yorke Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and Lower South East.
The Country Fire Service has advised residents to action their bushfire survival plans.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast conditions to be “hot to very hot and dry” with “northeast to north-westerly winds increasing to 25-35km/h ahead of a southeast to south-westerly sea breeze pushing inland during the afternoon and evening”.
BOM told FiveAA radio that it would mean the hottest December on record, by an extra two degrees, for Adelaide if the forecast is correct.
The heatwave is set to cap off an unusually warm December for the southern state.
A Bureau of Meteorology spokeswoman toldThe Advertiser there would be no real change in the weather pattern.
“Next week the weather will still be pretty hot,” she said.
The average maximum temperature in Adelaide during December is about 27 degrees.
The hottest December day on record is 43 degrees in 2013.
Victorians will also be baking in front of an air conditioner or looking for a spot on St Kilda beach.
New Year’s Eve will be the real scorcher, with temperatures reaching a whopping 37 degrees.
It will reach the low 40s in Wimmera and Mallee.
Ambulance Victoria’s State Health commander, Paul Holman, told the Herald Sun people needed to wary when there was a spike in temperatures.
“If you must go outside, restrict it to the coolest parts of the day and don’t exercise or undertake strenuous activity in the heat,” he said.
“Wear a hat and sunscreen and take a bottle of water with you.
“Check on relatives and neighbours aged over 65 to make sure they are doing everything they can to protect themselves, and never leave kids, adults, or pets in a hot car.”
Northerly winds will develop on New Year’s Eve across Victoria and a southerly change will cool things down on New Year’s Day.
Thunderstorms are expected near the ranges while rain has been forecast across the whole state.
Victorians will be able to brave the outdoors again on the weekend, when temperatures are expected to stay in the mid 20s.
Perth too has been hot — even its train tracks distorted. It hit a whopping 41 degrees yesterday but is expected to cool down to the mid 30s.
It will be about 30 degrees today and tomorrow, and 32 degrees on January 1.
Weather will start to heat up again on the weekend with 34 degrees expected on Saturday and 36 degrees predicted on Sunday.
Sydney temperatures will sit in the mid 20s over the new year while Brisbane will reach the high 20s and low 30s.
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