Sydney swelters, but temperatures set to plunge
It’s hot, sweaty, and air conditioners are working overtime – but Sydneysiders have just a few more hours of sweltering temperatures before the first southerly buster of the summer sweeps through.
Sydney CBD is predicted to hit a top of 33 degrees on Tuesday, peaking in the early afternoon, while the eastern suburbs will enjoy a warm 29 degree day.
Sydneysiders cool off at Bronte Beach. Credit: Steven Siewert
In Sydney’s western suburbs the heat will be far more oppressive, with temperatures peaking at a sweltering 42 degrees in Penrith and Richmond. It will be hotter in western Sydney than some of NSW’s regional towns, including Dubbo at 38 degrees and Tamworth at 39 degrees.
The dew point, which is the best measure of how sweaty you’ll be, reached 21 degrees in the city and western suburbs on Tuesday morning, which the Bureau of Meteorology describes as muggy and uncomfortable.
The extreme temperatures could put a strain on emergency services.
Dr Lai Heng Foong from the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine told ABC Radio Sydney that already overcrowded emergency departments are at risk of becoming overwhelmed during extreme heat.
NSW Ambulance acting superintendent Christie Marks said those over 60, tradies and mums with babies should especially be on the lookout for heat stress symptoms.
“The dehydration is the biggest thing that we do respond to, so drink lots of water,” Marks told Nine News.
