Temperatures are set to soar past 30C in nearly every capital city as heatwave sweeps Australia

Get ready to sizzle! Temperatures are set to soar past 30C in nearly every capital city as heatwave sweeps across Australia – giving thousands of people the right to take the day off work

  • Hot air is drifting down from Top End to southern states, sending mercury rising
  • Sydney’s heatwave will peak on Friday, with city’s west expected to reach 37C 
  • Adelaide is in for scorching week with the city predicted to hit 36C by Thursday
  • Darwin sweated through its second-highest temperature ever on Monday, 38.2C 

Australians have been told to brace for a heatwave that is set to sweep across swathes of the country this week, sending temperatures soaring past 30C in most major cities. 

Hot air is drifting down from the Top End to southern parts of Australia, causing the mercury to spike in the next few days – and potentially giving thousands of people the right to take time off work.  

Sydney will bask in sunshine with temperatures in the high 20s throughout the week before peaking at 33C on Friday, with the city’s west expected to reach 37C.

Australians have been told to brace for a heatwave that is set to sweep across swathes of the country this week, sending temperatures soaring past 30C in most major cities 

Sydney will bask in sunshine with temperatures in the high 20s throughout the week before peaking at 33C on Friday, with the city's west expected to reach 37C. People are seen enjoying the sunshine in Bondi

Sydney will bask in sunshine with temperatures in the high 20s throughout the week before peaking at 33C on Friday, with the city’s west expected to reach 37C. People are seen enjoying the sunshine in Bondi  

Adelaide is in for a scorching week as the city reaches 31C on Wednesday before hitting 36C on Thursday. 

Workers in parts of Sydney and Adelaide, as well as in swathes of the Northern Territory, will be within their rights to stop working when the mercury reaches 35C.

The nationwide Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union previously told its 100,000-plus members to avoid working when the mercury reaches ‘dangerous’ levels. 

‘Once the temperature reaches 35C or a humidity level above 75 per cent, there will be an orderly cessation of work and preparations for safe completions of critical tasks currently underway,’ a guide produced by the union reads.  

Union: ‘If the on-site temp hits 35C it’s your right to stop work!’ 

The nationwide Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) urges its 100,000-plus members to avoid working in ‘dangerous’ heat and walk off the job. 

‘Once the temperature reaches 35C or a humidity level above 75 per cent, there will be an orderly cessation of work and preparations for safe completions of critical tasks currently underway,’ a guide produced by the union reads. 

‘In addition, rest breaks [are to be provided] as needed by an individual. Individuals should not be discouraged from taking needed rest breaks.’ 

The nationwide Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union urges its members to avoid working in 'dangerous' heat and walk off the job (stock)

The nationwide Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union urges its members to avoid working in ‘dangerous’ heat and walk off the job (stock)

An OHS Reps guide to working in the heat advises workers that employers are ‘expected to prevent your workplace being uncomfortably hot’.

’35C to 40C is considered to be the ‘limit of high temperature tolerance’ for most people,’ it reads. 

Parts of Sydney, Adelaide and swathes of the Northern Territory are expected to exceed 35C during this week’s heatwave.  

While Canberra and Melbourne will be unlikely to be able to walk off the job, they’ll experience the blistering weather on Thursday with temperatures climbing to 31C and 33C respectively. 

The warm air is pushing down from Australia’s hottest city, Darwin, which sweated through its second-highest temperature on record when the mercury hit 38.2C on Monday. 

The hottest ever day recorded in Darwin was 38.9C on October 18, 1982.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued a weather warning for areas in Western Australia, with fears of bushfires being fanned by hot and dry winds. 

BOM has warned of severe fire danger for the Kimberley inland, east Pilbara coast, east Pilbara inland and north interior regions of the state.  

Sydney will bask in sunshine with temperatures in the high 20s throughout the week before peaking at 33C on Friday, with the city's west expected to reach 37C

Sydney will bask in sunshine with temperatures in the high 20s throughout the week before peaking at 33C on Friday, with the city’s west expected to reach 37C 

Adelaide is in for a scorching October as the city reaches 31C on Wednesday and is expected to peak up to 36C on Thursday

Adelaide is in for a scorching October as the city reaches 31C on Wednesday and is expected to peak up to 36C on Thursday

Fire weather warnings have also been issued in the Gregory and Darwin areas of the Northern Territory.    

Sky News Weather chief meteorologist Tom Saunders said dust storms are expected to return to many parts of southern Australia amid the hot weather. 

Adelaide’s heatwave will come to an end on Friday, with a cool change and tops of just 19C. 

Melburnians will also experience a slight cool change on Friday, as temperatures reach a comfortable 25C.

Darwin will consistently remain in the mid-30s throughout the week and will see a chance of showers or two over the weekend.  

Temperatures in Sydney are expected to drop to the low-20s or high-teens early next week.  

Darwin is sweating through its second-highest temperature on record, after the mercury hit 38.2C at 12.30pm on Monday - just the third time in almost 40 years

Darwin is sweating through its second-highest temperature on record, after the mercury hit 38.2C at 12.30pm on Monday – just the third time in almost 40 years

Hot air is drifting down from the Top End to southern parts of Australia, causing the mercury to spike in the next few days

Hot air is drifting down from the Top End to southern parts of Australia, causing the mercury to spike in the next few days 

AUSTRALIA’S WEATHER: A FOUR-DAY FORECAST

PERTH

Tues: Min 12, Max 26 

Wed:  Min 13, Max 23

Thur: Min 12, Max 22

Fri: Min 9, Max 25  

MELBOURNE

Tue: Min 11, Max 22

Wed: Min 11, Max 28

Thur: Min 16, Max 33

Fri: Min 21, Max 25

CANBERRA 

Tue: Min 6, Max 28 

Wed:  Min 8, Max 29

Thur: Min 7, Max 31

Fri: Min 11, Max 30

BRISBANE 

Tue: Min 15, Max 25

Wed:  Min 16, Max 29

Thur: Min 16, Max 29

Fri: Min 16, Max 29 

ADELAIDE 

Tue: Min 14, Max 29

Wed: Min 18, Max 31

Thur: Min 20, Max 36

Fri: Min 13, Max 19 

HOBART  

Tue: Min 7, Max 21

Wed:  Min 9, Max 22 

Thu: Min 10, Max 27

Fri: Min 16, Max 25

SYDNEY 

Tue: Min 13, Max 24

Wed:  Min 16, Max 26

Thur: Min 16, Max 27 

Fri: Min 19, Max 33

DARWIN

Tue: Min 24, Max 35

Wed:  Min 25, Max 34

Thur: Min 25, Max 35 

Fri: Min 25, Max 33

 Source: Bureau of Meteorology 

 

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