From Sunday, January 25 to Saturday, February 1, the mercury topped 40ºC on five days in one of the hottest and most uncomfortable heatwaves experienced in the Kyabram district for a long time.
The hottest day fell on January 25 when the mercury peaked at 45ºC.
Monday (41.6ºC) and Tuesday (43.3ºC) also exceeded 40ºC, with a slight reprieve on the Wednesday, with a top of 35.7ºC, and 37.5ºC on Thursday.
But the uncomfortable heat was back again on Friday, with 41.7ºC, followed by 42.7ºC the next day.
Saturday night’s weather change brought the first rain, albeit just 1.2mm, since December 22.
On Sunday, February 1, the maximum temperature nosedived to a maximum of 27.4ºC as a southerly change swept in.
Weather records fall
There were all sorts of records broken all over Australia in last week’s hot spell and one place that was worth avoiding was Pooncarie on the Darling River in NSW about 100km north of Mildura.
From the week starting Saturday, January 24, the tiny town endured eight consecutive days with temperatures above 43ºC with an almost unbearable top of 49.7ºC on the Tuesday.
Pooncarie’s temperature chart each day from Saturday, January 24 reads:
Saturday 43.6ºC, Sunday 47.3ºC, Monday 48.0ºC, Tuesday 49.7ºC, Wednesday 45.5ºC, Thursday 45.8ºC, Friday 47.8ºC and Saturday 47.5ºC
Now that’s what you call a hot spell.
In that hot stretch, the minimum temperature didn’t drop below 23ºC.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Australia is 50.7ºC (123.3 Fahrenheit), which was recorded on January 2, 1960 at Oodnadatta, South Australia, and January 13, 2022 at Onslow, Western Australia.
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Australia is minus 23ºC (minus 9.4 F), at Charlotte Pass, NSW, on June 29, 1994.
Lucky escape
When Ivan Hazelden had to get out of his property in a hurry at Whiteheads Creek east of Seymour in the recent bushfires he thought the glimpse of Millie his cat dashing out the door as the flames rapidly approached would be the last time he would see his beloved moggy.
So after the fire had passed through his property he was stunned to discover on returning that his house was still standing but even more amazingly he was greeted by Millie and his other cat, Peanut.
Ivan said he had never been a cat fan but when Millie and Peanut were about to be drowned as kittens he stepped in to save, adopt and raise them.
That was seven years ago, and Ivan is not afraid to say now he is a cat fan and “loves them to death”.
Millie suffered burns to her feet and has had to have veterinary treatment but is making a slow recovery after using up several of those nine lives in one hit.
Fruit fly baiting
Kyabram Lions Club members will be rebaiting fruit fly traps this Saturday, February 7.
Lions members will be outside the former Salvation Army Thrift Shop in Bradley St. from 9am to noon.
The rebaiting cost is $6 per trap and new traps will be available for $16.
Fire investigated
A man has been interviewed over fires in the Nathalia area.
He was arrested last week on the Murray Valley Hwy at Nathalia and released pending further investigations.
The fires included two at Kaarimba and Bunbartha.
Did you know...
You are living in 2026 when:
• You pull up in your own driveway and use your mobile phone, to see if anyone is home to help you carry in the groceries.
• Every commercial on television has a website at the bottom of the screen.
• Leaving the house without your mobile phone, which you didn't even have the first 20 or 30 (or 60) years of your life, is now a cause for panic, and you turn around to go and get it.
• You get up in the morning and go online, before getting your coffee.
Square dinkum
G’day.
I just saw three old blokes about my age jogging past my house. It sure did motivate me — to get up and shut the blinds.
Hooroo!
14°C