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Heatwaves

Here is why not every wind from the ocean is a sea breeze

More than 85 per cent of Australians live within 50 kilometres of the ocean, but the variation in weather across any slice of this narrow coastal band is substantial.
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Sea breeze illustration shows uneven heating of the earth's surface near a coastline leads to a sea breeze circulation.

Children held in adult prison swelter through Perth heatwave without air conditioning in cells

Some of Western Australia's most vulnerable teenagers are sweltering through Perth's heatwave without air conditioning in a converted adult prison unit.
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Front entrance of a building obscured by trees

People flock to the coast as another heatwave scorches Perth and parts of WA

As Perth and parts of Western Australia swelter through a second heatwave in as many weeks, data shows hot weather has left almost five times more people in hospital than bushfires in recent years.
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A group of people swimming in clear blue water

Trains to go slow, tradies to down tools and schools to keep kids inside during second Perth heatwave in two weeks

More scorching hot weather is on the cards for Perth, just days after another heatwave broke weather records across Western Australia.
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Members of the public at a crowded beach during sunset.

Swimmers warned off two popular Victorian waterholes as mercury soars across the state

Swimmers are being warned to stay away from one of Victoria's busiest beaches and a popular High Country waterhole as extreme heat grips the state.
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A long distance shot of people walking along a beach that curves around with trees under a blue sky

Drought-affected Gascoyne cooks in double heatwave as animals seeking water dig up pipelines

Amid the worst drought on record in the Gascoyne, the impacts of extreme heat is being felt by people and wildlife alike, with emus digging up town pipelines and putting holes in them for a drink.
A very dry expanse of land dotted by hative shrubs and bushes

Parts of South Australia, Victoria, NSW to experience hottest weather in up to three years

A burst of hot northerly winds will bring the highest temperatures in years to parts of south-east Australia, while ex-Tropical Cyclone Kirrily carves a trail of torrential rain and flooding.
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Composite of heatwave map and workers from Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

Woman, 68, living in new social housing forced to take showers and hide in car to cool down during heatwave

Sixty-eight-year-old Suellyn Lott's Sunshine Coast apartment complex was officially opened less than 12 months ago, but she says living there is unbearable when the temperature spikes.
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An older woman with white hair sits on a couch. A temperature gauge in the foreground read 30 degrees Celsius.

Western Australia's severe summer heatwave breaks records as parts of Perth hit 45C

The heat peaked before it even hit midday for many spots around metropolitan Perth, with scorching mid-40 degree temperatures experienced across the city.
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Two men with their shirts off pose for a photo at a park

Almost 170,000 air conditioners remotely turned down six times during blistering summer heat

Queensland’s state-owned power grid quietly forced almost 170,000 air-conditioners in homes and businesses into low-power mode six times over summer.
Sun shimmers through powerlines and trees at The Gap in Brisbane.

Heatwaves lead to 10 per cent increase in ambulance call-outs, 'pushing the healthcare system to capacity'

Heatwaves cause the deaths of more people in Australia than any other natural disaster, and researchers are pleading for action.
An orange sunset above the silhouette of houses and palm trees.

If you're walking out of the house drenched in sweat — it's not the humidity

The dew point in some parts of the south-east of Queensland has tipped to 26C, exceeding that of equatorial countries like Singapore.
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A woman and a man whose singlet is drenched with sweat walk along the Brisbane River.

WA braces for another severe heatwave in a summer the BOM says 'has been very kind to us' so far

Temperatures are set to soar across WA this week as the state plunges into another heatwave, and while we may feel like having a grumble, the weather bureau says it's just a "fairly average" summer in the west.
Powerlines suspended between towers against orange dusk  sky.

Australia could be in for another wet year with La Niña likely

Australia's most dominant climate driver, La Niña, has a strong chance of reappearing in 2024, shifting the odds to favour a wet year.
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Two people walk along Palm Cove Jetty in the rain

Queenslanders to sweat through heatwaves, rain and humidity

Queensland can expect more wet weather this week, combined with sticky heat, after a recent spate of record-breaking minimum overnight lows.
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an aerial view of a flooded rural road

Australia Day long weekend weather forecast predicts rain and sunshine around the country

A mix of rain and sunshine is forecast throughout the country for this weekend's Australia Day long weekend, with extreme weather warnings also in place. Take a look at what the weather bureau forecasts for the next three days. 
three children draped in Australian flags stand near the water

Queensland records its hottest January day on record as mercury nears 50C in outback town

Birdsville locals say stepping outside is like standing in front of an open oven. An elder says he's seen crows falling from trees amid the near unbearable conditions, but the BOM says relief is on the way.
Welcome sign on the road to Birdsville in far south-west Queensland on December 24, 2019.

Teen who spent months in hospital after horrific water accident warns others

Issac McGair has had a rough few months of recovery after a serious accident in Adelaide's Murrayland in October last year.
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Three people standing at beach

Heatwave to peak in NSW, with far west expected to cop the hottest temperatures

The current heatwave is set to see the warmest temperature recorded in NSW since 2020, before a southerly buster brings relief.
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People sunbaking at Clovelly Beach

As coastal towns expect a battering from cyclone, outback graziers hope the rain finds them

Heavy rainfall is predicted for much of Queensland as Cyclone Kirrily slowly moves towards the coast. For graziers inland, it could offer a reprieve from extreme heat and dry conditions.
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Cattle producer looks over dam

Forthcoming heatwave to engulf central and eastern Australia

A severe heatwave coming from the west will bring the hottest weather in four years to parts of New South Wales this week.
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A man stands in front of the bright sun.

Why hot Australian cities keep laying dark heat-absorbing asphalt, not pale 'cool roads'

Los Angeles and other US cities have embraced lighter-coloured "cool roads" in response to climate change and heatwaves. So why isn't Australia doing the same?
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CoolSeal installation in the City of Charles Sturt

Adelaide swelters through warmest day in nearly three years as cool changes sweeps through SA

Parts of South Australia's Eyre Peninsula and far north reached temperatures above 47 degrees on Tuesday, as a cool change is forecast to sweep through the state overnight.
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Generic photo of people swimming in the ocean at an Adelaide beach on a hot day.

In this dry Pilbara town, 48C heat feels 'absolutely horrible' — but daily life must go on

Paraburdoo residents have battled three days of extreme weather conditions, with the town's temperature maximum being broken twice in two days. In some ways, it is becoming a source of pride.
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A gnarled gum tree in front of a dark storm.

Are you slapping on the recommended seven teaspoons of sunscreen each day?

Experts say you should be using at least 35 millilitres of sunscreen every day. And if you get sweaty, you'll need to reapply. 
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A man's hand holds a teaspoon of sunscreen