Severe weather watch for next week

18/01/2013

The Bureau of Meteorology is monitoring the development of weather systems that could lead to a continuation of severe fire weather conditions and potentially the development of two tropical cyclones in the monsoon trough over the weekend and into next week.

Assistant Director of Weather Services, Alasdair Hainsworth, says it is early days yet, but as people may have noticed on the Bureau’s seven day computer-generated charts, there is the possibility of tropical cyclones developing in the Gulf of Carpentaria during the weekend and off Western Australia’s Kimberley coast next week.

He said both systems had the potential to bring gale to storm force winds and heavy rain to nearby coastal communities. They may last for several days leading into the Australia Day long weekend.

Mr Hainsworth said that “during this time southern Australia would also experience challenging weather conditions with the potential development of further serious fire weather conditions in parts of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales.

“As we know, there are serious fires still burning in these states and the coming week will continue to provide a challenge to emergency services even before the severe conditions arrive.

“Today Sydney, Canberra and other NSW centres experienced extreme temperatures with records being set for Sydney at Observatory Hill (45.8°C); Sydney Airport (46.4°); Canberra (41.6°); and a range of other communities along the coast from Bega (44.6°) to Williamtown (44.8°). The highest temperature recorded in the Greater Sydney Area was 46.5° at Penrith.”

Mr Hainsworth says the Bureau is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to issue timely warnings should the need arise. “We are also working closely with emergency services including fire agencies,” he says.

He advised people to keep up to date through the media and relevant web sites for all developments and tgo to the Bureau’s website for the latest weather warnings.