(Bloomberg) -- Australian authorities have issued extreme heat warnings for southeastern and western parts of the country, saying the thermostat in Melbourne is forecast to reach 38C (100.4F) on Sunday.
Temperatures are “set to reach the high 30s, if not low 40s, across much of inland New South Wales, much of inland Victoria and South Australia as well,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Miriam Bradbury told ABC Television on Saturday.
The warnings are for districts in the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania. Temperatures may reach as much as 14C degrees above the January average, she said.
Global warming made 2024 the hottest year globally on record, with implications for everything from agriculture to infectious diseases, and forcing individuals and businesses to rethink how they operate.
In Australia, officials have also flagged the risk of fires in parts of Victoria and South Australia, as a large bushfire continues at the scenic Grampians National Park in the state’s west. There are also moderate flood warnings for areas in New South Wales and Queensland.
Relief in the form of cooler temperatures is due late on Sunday for South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, Bradbury said. For Sydney and the East Coast, the turn is expected late on Monday or early on Tuesday.
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