Posted on 07/08/2010 5:23:11 AM PDT by beagleone
Western Australia's big chill is continuing with Perth marking a record-breaking 12 consecutive nights of temperatures below 5C, according to the WA Bureau of Meteorology.
Temperatures dipped to a wintry 0.3C in the city overnight, with Jandakot recording a freezing minus -1.4C at 5.22am.
The bureau says it is the longest cold snap on record, beating a July 1997 stretch of nine straight nights of 5C or below.
Perth Zoo pampers animals with hot rocks, sun lamps and heated enclosures
WA climate services technical officer Michelle Dalpozzo said a succession of high pressure cells, with clear skies and lights winds letting any warm air escape, had caused the unusually long cold, dry spell.
It is unusual for this time of year because usually we have cold fronts making their way up, but there is a lack of cold fronts that are reaching WA at the moment, Ms Dalpozzo said.
WA is currently experiencing the third driest winter on record, while Antarctica has record snow.
While individual events cannot be linked to climate change, drought conditions in WA have been linked to heavy snowfall in eastern Antarctica and scientists say man-made greenhouse gases may be to blame.
In February, the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre in Tasmania said it found that the heavier it snows in Antarctica, the less it rains in southern WA.
Ms Dalpozzo said the cold snap was forecast to end by Thursday when a cold front is expected to move through the region.
Meanwhile, FESA fire investigation officer Jim Bell has warned about the dangers of cranking up home heating.
You should never leave your heater unattended and if youre drying clothes keep them at least a metre away from the heater so they dont catch fire, Mr Bell said.
If you have a fuel heater always take it outside to refuel it and if you have an open fireplace ensure it has a protective guard to stop sparks flying out.
Mr Bell said older heaters and electric blankets should be checked before being used.
Related Coverage
* Winter heat: Zoo animals pampered with sun lamps
* Zoo turns up the winter heat
* Farmers hurting in big, dry freeze Perth Now, 5 days ago
* WA gripped by record cold and dry Perth Now, 6 days ago
* Perth shivers in eighth cold night Perth Now, 7 days ago
* Perth shivers in 0.1C deep freeze Perth Now, 9 days ago
* WA rugs up as temps go sub-zero Perth Now, 26 Jun 2010
HEY MATE!
Send it up here!
fair dinkum.
Most are very stupid. That is why the scam is still going strong.
Apparently the earth has a fever.....and chills.
People are getting frozen to death by global warming!
We didn’t listen!
Apparently the earth has a fever.....and chills.
The far lefty environMENTALS I overhear claim that the Earth(Mother Gaia) has the ‘flu’ which explains why temperatures fluctuate so ‘unpredictably’ throughout the planet regardless of the seasons.
Their claim for cause is too many people on the planet.
That episode was perfect from start to finish.
“Hand over your Jew gold”
I have a better one for you. Heard some enviroMENTALS say that oil is the blood of Gaia and with our obsession for it, we are slowly bleeding Gaia to death.
No wonder Gaia has a fever......
“Apparently the earth has a fever.....and chills.”
Guess what?! This planet’s got a fever, and the only prescription...is more cowbell!!
Australia. Funny place.
Record cold and draught.
On the other hand, they are having a Sailing Regatta in the desert, because it rained so much it filled empty lake beds in the desert.
Yachting regatta in Australian desert for first time in 20 years
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2548719/posts
They are blaming record cold in Australia on global warming!!! The idiots don’t know when to stop.
Invite them to commit hari-kari for the good of the planet.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.