Jan. 13, 2013, 11:59 p.m.
STROLL: A couple cool down in the tunnel while walking on the Fernleigh Track. Picture: Jonathan Carroll
SURREAL: The Deans Gap fire burns near Sussex Inlet, about 150kilometres south of Sydney, on Saturday.
THE Hunter sweated over the weekend as temperatures once again reached 40 degrees yet the region’s heatwave has dwindled with milder weather predicted this week.
A few scattered showers came down overnight though should clear this morning and conditions are expected to stick in the mid-20s.
Monday will see a maximum of 22 in Newcastle and 24 in the Hunter Valley and tomorrow will experience similar temperatures as the weekend’s heat blows away.
Conditions on Saturday were unbearable for some people, who either holed themselves inside airconditioned homes or found other ways to get some cool relief.
Cessnock residents who woke early were greeted with temperatures of 31.6 at 7am and by 9am the mercury had risen to 36 degrees.
Peak heat hit about 3.30pm for most inland towns as Cessnock reached 42.6, Tocal 42.8, Scone 43.4 and Williamtown 42.1.
Coastal towns peaked about 2.30pm with Cooranbong at Lake Macquarie experiencing 41.4, Nobbys Head 38.9 and Newcastle University 42.4.
Relief wasn’t too far off though as residents were left blessing southerly winds that brought five degree drops in temperatures within a few minutes.
Unlike conditions last Tuesday night where the Hunter broke records for highest minimums, the southerly blew in to give most areas enough respite for a good night’s sleep.
Nobbys Head dropped 6 degrees in four minutes by 3.04pm, Williamtown shed 5 degrees between 3.30pm and 3.41pm, while Maitland dropped from 41.4 degrees at 4.30pm to 35.9 only eight minutes later.
Yet the cool change was not enough in some places with Scone still burning above 30 degrees after 8pm.
NSW paramedics were also kept busy over the weekend with six patients requiring treatment for heat exposure as well as numerous call-outs regarding symptoms of dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
Four of the patients, including a 93-year-old female from Stroud, were transported to hospital before midday hit on Saturday.
Weatherwatch meteorologist Anthony Cornelius said while the heatwave had now disappeared for the next few days another change was expected to hit home on Friday.
‘‘We’ll see winds swing back to north westerlies and Friday will be the hottest day,’’ he said.
‘‘It will be hot again on Thursday in the Hunter Valley and then spread to the coastal areas,’’ he added.
Mr Cornelius said Friday night could provide plus-30 degree heat up until 2am in some parts of the Hunter depending on the timing of a wind change.
‘‘The change is only expected on Saturday morning but that could change during the week,’’ he said.
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