Inland New South Wales was gripped by a record-breaking heatwave on Sunday as fires burned across the state. While temperatures remained relatively cool in inner Sydney, thanks to a sea breeze, the state’s western districts were scorching hot, with temperatures exceeding 42C in Bourke, Cobar, and Brewarrina.
Wagga Wagga witnessed its hottest March temperatures on Sunday, reaching a whopping 39.9C, breaking the previous record of 39.5C set on 7 March 1983. The area has been recording temperatures for an astonishing 80 years. Temperatures were also significantly higher than previous March records in Bathurst, Orange, Dubbo, and many other locations on and west of the ranges, hitting between 0.5 and 1.5 degrees higher than expected.
The state’s highest temperature was recorded at Wilcannia airport in the northwest, reaching a staggering 43.8C. However, Penrith, in Sydney’s west, which had been forecast to reach 40C, surprisingly peaked at 38.7C at 3:48 pm. Campbelltown and Camden reached 39C, while Badgerys Creek, a Sydney suburb, became the only area to officially reach 40C, hitting 40.2C at 3:28 pm. Richmond and Bankstown also reached 38C.
March Heatwave Scorches Inland New South WalesThe Riverina region experienced extreme heat, with Griffith and Yanco both reaching 41C. The Bureau of Meteorology reported that cooler conditions would likely follow the run of record-breaking March heat, with a trough set to move into South Australia on Monday, accompanied by light showers in southern parts, spreading into Victoria and NSW by night.
The heat ignited fires across NSW, with at least 30 blazes still raging across the state. Firefighters remain on high alert, particularly in NSW, as strong winds continue to fuel the fires. A significant bushfire at Craigs Road in Curraweela, in the southern tablelands, has burned through 3,689 hectares, destroying property and livestock. Meanwhile, a bushfire at Lorne, east of Erskine Falls Road, in Victoria, has been downgraded to an advice level.