Temperatures above 35 degrees are returning to the National Electricity Market as the lead-up to summer begins.
Weatherzone’s forecast model Opticast predicts temperatures to reach 36°C at Rockhampton, 35°C at Gympie, and 34°C at Bundaberg, Cairns and Townsville. In the state’s capital, 35°C is expected for Ipswich, 34°C at Archerfield and 33°C for Brisbane City.
All of these temperatures will be the hottest days for each location since March or April.
Image: Maximum temperatures forecast for Thursday 27th Oct from ECMWF
Those locations close enough to the ocean will receive a seabreeze today, helping to cool temperatures down later in the afternoon. The caveat to this is that a seabreeze also raises the humidity. This means some places like Ipswich and Rockhampton can receive a weak seabreeze, but the increase in humidity makes it feel even hotter than before it arrived.
The humidity today will make the length of the east coast feel 2 to 3 degrees above actual temperatures. This is fairly standard for Queensland heat but would certainly be sweaty conditions for any southerners visiting.
This heat has originated from WA’s Kimberley and the NT’s Top End, where temperatures above 40°C have been recorded since mid-September. This region is sometimes called the ‘heat generator’ for Australia, as hot air that spreads across the continent often originates there.
While a trough moving through on Thursday afternoon will provide some cooling, heat will return to Queensland early next week, when humidity will be even higher.
DTN APAC can provide access to our state-of-the-art Opticast models, including temperature bounds, to provide accurate temperature forecasts as far as 14 days in advance. We also provide climate briefing services, so you know what to expect for this upcoming summer. To find out more please contact us at apac.sales@dtn.com.
