Australia is a LARGE piece of land. So large we have several different climate zones, ranging from tropical in the north to temperate in the south and bloody cold cool in Tasmania.

Temperature conversion

Temperate doesn’t translate into any form of constant temperate ranges though! Down here in Victoria, we have be freezing one day and cooking the next. Yesterday I popped out to the shop in bare feet – I nearly burnt my feet on the asphalt! Man that stuff was hot!

While the northern reaches are more humid, down here it can be a very dry heat. Like your oven.

Today is going to be 41 Celsius. For those still using Fahrenheit, here is a quick conversion chart I stole off the internet prepared earlier.

41 C is 105.8 F. Adelaide, I hear, is going to be 44 C and Whyalla is forecast for a massive 46 C.

It is very unusual for us to have these sort of temperatures this early in the year, but of course global warming/climate change is a figment of our imaginations, isn’t it? 😛

The forecast for Australia today January 4, 2013 at 2 pm looks like this!

Hot

In other words, BLOODY HOT! Feel free to use any adjective of your choice!

The experts tell us this is shaping up to be one very long, hot summer and it is certainly starting out that way.

This is where we need to be!

Gold Coast Beach

I think our weather is pretty good.  We roast a little in summer and yes, we do risk very dangerous bushfires.  We lost many lives February 7, 2009 in the Black Saturday bushfires. Each country has some weather risks. We don’t freeze while using a snow plough down the main street, but we certainly have other risks.

The southern part of Australia does have temperature extremes and the north of Australia has been battered by cyclones (hurricanes that spin the other way).  Cyclone Tracy flattened Darwin on Christmas Day in 1974.  Cyclone Yasi crashed into Queensland in February 2011. Thankfully, such very sad and traumatic events are not frequent.

Overall most Australian’s love the relaxed, outdoor lifestyle warmer weather brings.

South Australia, the state to the west of Victoria, seems to get the hot weather before us and it moves across the land towards us. Rarely do we get the same extreme high temperatures, but this summer I’m thinking we might.

I opened by saying we have wonderful weather. I suppose it is a matter of choice. Some people can’t stand the heat, just like I can’t handle piercing cold.  I’d not do well living in an igloo.

Mr O and the younger O’s are acclimatising!  They tell me back home is NEVER this hot. Having been there, I’m not convinced, but the humidity is far greater there. I think it is the dry air here in Melbourne that gets them.

To fellow Aussies – you know the drill for today and the rest of this week:  slip, slop, slap and DRINK plenty of water.

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