BOM senior forecaster David Crock said that a heatwave is more than just high temperatures.
“A heatwave is when the maximum and minimum temperatures are unusually hot over three days,” he said.
“This is compared to the local climate and past weather.
“It's also about how much it cools down overnight.”
He said that it is caused by a combination of two differing bits of weather movements.
“A high-pressure system is keeping the weather settled and mostly sunny for Shepparton and northern Victoria,” Mr Crock said.
“Meanwhile, hot air is being drawn down from northern Australia.”
Although heatwaves in summer aren’t groundbreaking, it does point to the issue of climate change, Mr Crock said.
“Victoria sees periods of heatwave conditions every summer, particularly in the late January/early February period – historically the hottest time of the year,” he said.
“Climate change has added about one to 1.5°C heat to our weather, although the day-to-day weather is controlled by synoptic weather patterns.”
Sure, there’s a heatwave, but what are you supposed to do?
Mr Crock recommended heading to betterhealth.vic.gov.au/campaigns/Survive-the-heat, saying it has “great advice” on preparing for heatwaves.
“Stay cool, draw the curtains during the day, stay hydrated, look after the vulnerable members of the community – heat can affect the elderly and unwell more than the general population,” he said.
It’s also important to remember that the extreme heat timetable is in place for trains when it reaches 36°C and up.
For more information on the V/Line extreme heat timetable, head to vline.com.au/Timetables/heat
In an article published in The News, experts gave advice on keeping pets safe during the hot weather.
Echuca-Moama Veterinarian Clinic’s Dr Mark Wheatley said it was important for pet owners to make sure their animals didn’t perform strenuous activity on hot days to avoid overheating.
“Unnecessary exercise, ball chasing, that sort of stuff,” he said.
“Sometimes, overheating has occurred in animals with things like wave chasing.
“When you get humans involved, going and wanting to do something with them, they can get into trouble.
“We don’t realise that they’re hot because we’re driving them to do activity.”
Other things to note include:
- Pugs and other short-nosed dogs are more prone to overheating than other breeds and require more attention from their owners.
- A short-nosed dog’s tongue may go purple when they experience breathing issues from overheating, and brain-damage is possible if their temperature rises above 42°C.
- Pets should not be left unattended in cars on hot days, as a vehicle’s interior temperature can quickly rise to be much higher than the external temperature.
- On extreme heat days, pet owners should ensure their animals have access to plenty of water and shade.
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