Hot weather Down-Under

Australia is cooked: Raw steak cooked in hot car during heatwave

Stuff,

19 January, 2019

We've all read reports about Australia's hot temperatures, but one cafe owner went as far as cooking a steak in their car to show just how hot it really is. 

The owner of Mildura Dockside Cafe in the Australian state of Victoria claimed to have left a raw steak sitting in his car to see if his car could double as an oven. 

"Yesterday at 11am I put a porterhouse steak in my car which was parked in the shade and left it until 4pm," the owner wrote on the cafe's Facebook page.

The experiment proved to be a success, the steak was cooked and looked good enough to eat.

The post was accompanied with before and after photos of the steak to show the results of the five-hour cooking demonstration. 

The owner of the Victorian cafe used the experiment to send a message to all Aussies about the dangers of keeping people or pets in cars during this momentous weather occasion.

"With this heatwave please remember to never leave children, elderly or animals in the car," the post read.

"Always check on elderly neighbours, ensure your pets have a way to keep cool and cool drinking water."

DOMINICO ZAPATA/STUFF

Australia's hot temperatures are set to reach parts of New Zealand over the weekend.

Recently, parts of Australia have experienced extreme weather conditions, with temperatures climbing above 45 degrees Celsius.

Meteorologists have predicted the heat is set to cross the Tasman and make its way to parts of New Zealand. 

"As we have a little front that's going to push toward the South Island on Saturday, that little impulse is going to help to drag some of that unusual warmth across the Tasman Sea, and to New Zealand for at least a day," Niwa meteorologist Ben Noll said. 

So if you find yourself without an oven or stove in Australia during a heatwave, just know you can always turn your car into a kitchen. 

East coast seas warmer than January 2019

9 January, 2019

New Zealand is on the cusp of a second consecutive marine heatwave, with temperatures along parts of the east coast now about 3 degrees Celsius warmer than summer averages.

Hot patches of water were already lying off the Hawke's Bay, Kaikōura and Canterbury coasts during the first week of this year, according to National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) maps of sea-surface temperatures.

Much of the surface of the Tasman Sea is also between 1C and 2C warmer than normal, and there are more hot spots close to the shore of Australia....[ ]

Australian heatwave that led to temperatures of 45C on way to New Zealand

Stuff.co.nz

19 January, 2019

A taster of the extreme heat that has been baking Australia is on the way to New Zealand, bringing heat and humidity for most, along with powerful winds in some areas of the country.

During the past week, temperatures in many areas of Australia have climbed above 45 degrees Celsius, in some places getting close to 50C.

"As we have a little front that's going to push toward the South Island on Saturday, that little impulse is going to help to drag some of that unusual warmth across the Tasman Sea, and to New Zealand for at least a day for Saturday," Niwa meteorologist Ben Noll said.

Nearly all the country should feel some of the heat and humidity, particularly in the north and east of both islands. The only significant exception would be the southwest of the South Island.

The wind direction from the northwest, strong in some places, would contribute to the warmth, as would the unusually warm sea temperatures around much of the country, Noll said.

Here comes the Aussie heat! A puff of hot air will blow across the Tasman Sea, leading to a toasty day for much of New Zealand on Saturday

Turning a touch cooler for Sunday-Monday

5

9:27 AM - Jan 18, 2019

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Despite the warmth, so far Niwa's models weren't showing temperatures passing the highest recorded so far by Niwa this summer - 33.8C at Wakanui, southwest of Christchurch, on January 5.

Around lunchtime Friday, the models were showing Saturday's high was likely to be 32.4C in north Canterbury.

More opportunities for high temperatures were expected in the coming weeks as waves of anomalous temperatures pivoted off Australia. During those events, temperatures in the mid to high 30s were in the conversation, Noll said.

Sea surface temperatures around New Zealand are again unusually high, following record or near records temperatures, particularly in the south Tasman Sea, from November 2017 through into February 2018.

Latest Niwa information shows sea temperatures in much of the area to the east of the country to be warmer than they were at the same time last summer.

But Noll was cautious about the chances of a repeat of a marine heatwave of the same extent as last summer. "It remains to be seen how long these conditions last. Weather patterns over the next couple of weeks may be a bit windier than normal, particularly for areas around the South Island. That could help churn up the cooler seas that sit beneath the surface."

MetService is warning northwesterlies could get to 130kmh or more in exposed areas of the Canterbury High Country on Saturday afternoon and evening.

Northwesterly winds could also approach severe gale strength during Saturday in Central Otago, the Southern Lakes area, Clutha, Southland, Fiordland and Stewart Island

Then overnight Saturday, severe west to southwest gales could include gusts to 130kmh in coastal Southland and Clutha and eastern parts of Dunedin.

Northwesterlies could approach severe gale strength overnight Saturday in Marlborough, Wellington, Wairarapa and the Tararua district