Stay cool folks, it’s going to be a scorcher!
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Warnings are coming in left, right and centre as the Far South Coast, and indeed much of NSW, braces for an “extreme” heatwave predicted to last all weekend.
Bega is preparing for 37 degrees Celsius on Friday and similar conditions Saturday. Further inland it gets worse with Cooma expecting 38 degrees over the weekend and Canberra rising to 41. Even Nowra, further along the coast, will not be exempt with 40 predicted for both Friday and Saturday.
Given that, Merimbula with a relatively refreshing Saturday top of 32 sounds like a nice place for a visit.
If you are heading out this weekend, there are simple – and important – precautions to take.
Among the tips distributed by the Southern NSW Local Health District is to drink plenty of water, and remember to carry some with you when you’re out and about.
And remember it’s water that provides the best hydration – avoid alcohol and sugary drinks this weekend (sorry).
During a heatwave, it is very important to stay in regular contact with your elderly friends, neighbours and relatives, and to look out for other vulnerable members of your community.
Heat puts a lot of strain on the body and can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. It can also make underlying health conditions worse.
This also goes for our four-legged friends.
With Cobargo Show and a Bermagui dog show on this weekend, pets and livestock will also be enduring the heat and in need of adequate shelter and hydration.
As well as the health issues for both people and animals in the heat, there is another concern looming for the state.
When everyone reaches for the remote to their air-conditioner and turns up the fridge to save their wilting vegetables, NSW will face potential power shortages.
The warning came Thursday morning after the Australian Energy Markets Operator (AEMO) triggered rolling power cuts in South Australia as the mercury hovered near 40 degrees Wednesday evening.
While the federal government blames renewable energy goals, a supply shortfall for NSW is also flagged for Friday afternoon – where we get bulk of our electricity from coal and gas-fired power stations.
A hot topic for readers to digest – preferably somewhere cool!