Australia’s southern states are scorching in extreme heat that could break temperature records in Victoria and South Australia on Tuesday.

At Ouyen and Mildura in north-west Victoria, temperatures of 49C were forecast for Tuesday afternoon. If reached, they would break the state’s all-time temperature record of 48.8C, set in Hopetoun on Black Saturday in 2009. By 1pm, temperatures of 46.2C in Ouyen and 44.8C in Mildura had been recorded.

At Ouyen and Mildura in north-west Victoria, temperatures of 49C were forecast for Tuesday afternoon. If reached, they would break the state’s all-time temperature record of 48.8C, set in Hopetoun on Black Saturday in 2009. By 1pm, temperatures of 46.2C in Ouyen and 44.8C in Mildura had been recorded.

In Adelaide, the mercury hit 40C before 9.30am on Tuesday, after overnight lows of 35C, BoM observations showed.

Extreme heat is the most common cause of weather-related hospitalisations in Australia, and kills more people than all other natural hazards combined. What does exposure to extreme heat – such as a temperature of 49C – do to the body?

  • MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net
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    17 hours ago

    In Adelaide, the mercury hit 40C before 9.30am on Tuesday, after overnight lows of 35C

    There are not enough swear words in my vocabulary to successfully articulate my reaction to that.

    • Nebraska_Huskers@lemmy.world
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      7 hours ago

      40c is 104F, it’s not common but it happens where I live at least a few times a summer.

      49c is 120F that wouldnt be fun

      My state high happened near where I live in 1934. 118 degrees.

      Personally I think the highest I’ve experienced is 112.

      • MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net
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        4 hours ago

        The line I was reacting to stated an overnight low of 95. It was 104 by 9:30am. We’ve had stretches where it didn’t dip below 85 (cycle of nightly cloud cover basically acting as a wet blanket) and it was absolutely miserable. A low of 95 is nightmare territory.

        • Nebraska_Huskers@lemmy.world
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          3 hours ago

          I live in corn country. At night and morning the corn swets, and makes the humidity skyrocket can easily make night stay in the high 80s low 90s sometimes

      • Angelevo@feddit.nl
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        5 hours ago

        That is nice for those who have been accused of having room temperature IQs in freedom units though.

        • Nebraska_Huskers@lemmy.world
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          4 hours ago

          104 is not terrible as long as you drink water can be in the shade every now and then it’s doable depending on humidity