Press Release

Record hot night ends record long heatwave

06/02/2011: Sydney has sweated through its hottest night on record, the last of the hot nights in a record long heatwave, according to weatherzone.com.au.

The overnight low of 27.6 degrees is one degree higher than the previous record of 26.6, which was also in February, back in 1973.

It was still 33.2 at midnight, which is seven degrees above the average daytime maximum temperature.

The city has just gone through its longest spell of 30-degree days in 150 years of records, seven days. Western suburbs, west of Bankstown have also broken records with eight consecutive days hotter than 35.

"It's not the hottest weather Sydney has seen, but it is the longest hot spell on record," Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said.

This heatwave has finally come to an end.

"A cooler change is due by lunchtime Sunday, which will be a strong and gusty change and bring rapid cooling and relief from the energy-sapping heat and humidity," Dutschke said.

"By late Sunday afternoon it will only be about 20 degrees, the coldest it has been in more than a week."

"The change will also bring some rain, from the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Yasi. Not much rain but the first we've had in 15 days. This will end the longest summer dry spell in five years."

The coming week will be significantly cooler than the last. Nights will cool to about 20 degrees and days will only warm to the mid 20s.

It will start to heat up again from about Friday, when the city should reach the high 20s and western suburbs the low 30s.

"The next burst of heat will not be as intense or last as long, another cooler change will arrive by early next week."

As Jack Thompson once said "...now we can all get some sleep."

Media Inquiries:

Brett Dutschke
media@weatherzone.com.au
02 9965 9269

About Weatherzone:

Weatherzone is Australia's most popular commercial meteorological resource, supplying weather information to most of Australia's major television broadcasters and websites. www.weatherzone.com.au has been developed by a team of world class meteorologists and features user friendly, up-to-the minute access to weather across the country.

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