Feel the heat: Live coverage of ‘our hottest September day’

The Bureau of meteorology has just upgraded its forecast, tipping that Ipswich is every chance of hitting 40 today. If it does, it will be a September record for Ipswich. To mark the occasion, and to keep things cool, we’ll be tracking updates from 10am.

Stick with us as we post every 10 minutes or so to keep you up to date with your city.

4pm: It’s still hot. Still more than 39 degrees. Some people pay big bucks for a sauna treatment.

The wind has picked up with an average wind speed of 37 kilometres per hour. The wind has been rising all day starting out at 11 kilometres per hour at 8am. The highest wind gust today was at 2.34pm at 50 kilometres per hour.

After reaching 40 for the first time on a September day in Ipswich, it’s been a sweltering day which has caught many people searching for cool water and air conditioning.

Tomorrow, we’re looking at more heat, although it should top at around 36 degrees. Expect temperatures to fall to below 30 at around 7pm tonight, and a warm night. The minimum will be about 17 degrees.

With that, we close off our live coverage of Ipswich’s hottest ever September day. Keep cool and hydrated, and refer to the tips we’ve been offering during the day from medics and other experts.

3.50pm: Kick back with a cold drink this arvo but remember, there’s no substitute for water. This photo was taken outside an Ipswich icon, McMahon’s, in 1951.

3.45pm: One more song. The lovely Ella Fitzgerald singing Summertime. 

3.40pm: Challenge Employment and Training trainees were already hard at work on Day 1 of the Beautiful Ipswich upgrade of Jamboree Park. The hottest day of September was their first day on the tools.

3.31pm: Another temperature gauge, in the centre of Ipswich.

3.23pm: A spotted quoll enjoys its iceblock at the nature centre.

3.16pm: Ipswich swim centres, Orion Lagoon and Bob Gamble Park have reported big crowds today with people packing the venues to escape the record heat. Pools at Bundamba (7pm), Leichhardt (7pm), Goodna (7.30pm) and Rosewood (6pm) will remain open into the night. Orion Lagoon will operate until 9pm and Bob Gamble Park will open until 8pm.

3.07pm: The mean temperature at 3pm for September is 24.5 degrees. It’s currently 40.1 degrees.

3.05pm: The Ipswich Nature Centre at Queens Park has plenty of sprinklers set up for the animals today with a few even getting some ice cream and frozen fruit.

2.58pm: This story from SBS offers up some potential respite in the weeks ahead. Time to reach for the umbrellas.

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2017/09/28/australias-weather-outlook-coming-months-revealed

2.50pm: Ipswich and Springfield Police say “it’s definitely hot out there” but full of praise for people keeping it under control in the extreme weather.

2.42pm: This live blog about the weather seems to have transpired into “request hour”. Summer Love by Sherbet. Send yours to [email protected]. We’ll run the blog through to about 4pm.

2.32pm: Amberley has topped 40 degrees – exactly – at 2.15pm. The first time that’s happened in September.

2.30pm: And a Summer request. Daryl Braithwaite wasn’t only known for that song about horses.

2.25pm: This is just outside Ipswich, showing the outside temperature at 41 degrees. Let’s acknowledge though, that nobody should be taking photos of their dashboard while travelling at 90km/hr.

2.21pm: If you’ve got a few minutes, this is a very cool look at global weather patterns as predicted by supercomputers around the world. We’ve provided the link straight to Ipswich. A warning though, it’s a little mesmerising: https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/overlay=temp/orthographic=138.64,-24.95,602/loc=152.768,-27.637

2.12pm: West Moreton Rural Fire Service area director Paul Storrs says it’s been a good day.

“I’d just like to say thank you to our population for supported the Rural Fire Service and following the total fire ban.

“People have been really good,” he said.

“I’ve got a whole bunch of crews right across the West Moreton area who have voluntarily given up their time today, to be at their stations on standby, so they are ready to go if they are needed. These volunteers are so dedicated, I have great people,” he said.

If you do see a fire, ring 000.

2.06pm: Further update from the Bureau of Meteorology site. At 2pm, the mercury hit 39.7 at the Amberley station. If we don’t hit 40, we’ve gone awfully close.

1.56pm: It would seem we’ve broken the record for the hottest September day – 39.3 degrees at 1.49pm at Amberley. The previous record was 39.2 degrees.

1.50pm: One final bunch of tips for today. This time to keeping kids cool:

• Loose fitting, single layered, cotton clothing is good.
• Lukewarm baths and showers help beat the heat. Don’t use ice cold water.
• Stay inside, or find some air conditioning.
• If you have to go out, a sunshade on the stroller, broad-brimmed hat and SPF+ sunscreen are essential.

1.42pm: If you think it’s hot today spare a thought for these blokes who were underground at Box Flat No. 8 in 1986.

1.34pm: The mercury has hit 38.9 at Amberley at 1.29pm. 

1.32pm: Here’s our top tips of the day to keep your cool and beat the heat:

• Drink two to three litres of water a day, even if you’re not thirsty. Sports drinks, soft drinks, alcohol, tea and coffee are not substitutes for water.
• Avoid heavy protein foods like meat and dairy that raise body heat and increase fluid loss.
• Plan your day and keep activity to a minimum between 11am and 3pm.
• If you do go out remember to slip, slop, slap.
• Take cool showers or baths and splash yourself with cold water, particularly your face and the back of your neck.
• Provide animals with food, water and shelter.
• If you’re breastfeeding feed your baby more often and ensure you drink plenty of water.
• Give bottle-fed babies cool, boiled water between feeds.
• Provide children with small regular meals and minimise hot food.
• Don’t leave children, adults or animals in parked cars.

1.22pm: How could we resist on a day like this? A little big of “Sounds of Then” from Gangajang.

1.16pm: A sweet place to be on a hot day – an ice cream van at Anzac Park, Rosewood in 1990.

1.08pm: A few more tips from Queensland Health about keeping children cool today:

• Give them plenty of water, even before they’re thirsty. Don’t use ice.
• No drinks high in sugar, salt or caffeine.
• If you’re breastfeeding, do it more often and drink plenty of water yourself.
• Give bottle-fed babies cool, boiled water between feeds.
• Give children regular meals and minimise hot food.
• Monitor wet nappies – get onto a doctor if there are fewer than usual.
• In young children, urine should be a light straw colour. If it’s dark, it might be a sign of dehydration.

1.01pm: While we’re giving local businesses a plug, check these out. Schudio Studio at 141 Brisbane St has these heat/cool packs filled with rice. “Just chuck them in the freezer, then sling around your neck for instant relief,” says Cass and Kim from the shop. Mention Ipswich First and they’ll give you 20% off.

12.52pm: The good folk at Poison Arrow Retro in the Ipswich CBD Mall reckon they’ve got some fashionable ways to beat the heat with their ladies’ swimwear.

12.43pm: It’s just hit 35 degrees at Amberley.

What to drink: As tempting as it might be, don’t turn to alcohol. Or soft drink. Or tea and coffee. They worsen dehydration. In the heat, you’ll need 2-3 litres of water a day at regular intervals, even if you don’t feel thirsty.

What to eat: Cool foods such as salad and fruit are ideal. Medics say to avoid heavy protein foods such as meat and dairy. So much for the early Summer barbie, right?

12.36pm: Remember when a police officer in Birdsville fried an egg on the bonnet of his cop car? The silver lining is that we haven’t become that hot … yet.

12.29pm: The Amberley weather station is at the centre of attention today. Well, here it is:

The site is on the grounds of the Amberley RAAF base, and the instrument enclosure itself is bare ground (black soil) with natural grass surrounding. It’s been there since August 1941. An automatic weather station was installed in July, 1997.

12.22pm: Good and bad news. The bad news is it’s just hit 34 degrees. The good news is that the Bureau of Meteorology has revised the predicted maximum to 38 degrees. 

The third piece of news depends very much on how you look at it: It’s tipped to rain for the most of next week.

12.12pm: Not a great day to be a cow. This photo sent to us from a reader at Rosewood.

12.04pm: Did you know? A heatwave is usually defined by temperatures ranging in the 37-42-degree mark. For the record, it’s now 33 degrees.

11.55am: Who knew? Here are some things which are still okay, even if there’s a fire ban in place:

• Fires for the purpose of disposal of animal carcasses, if you have a permit from the local fire warden.
• Fires for commercial necessity, if businesses have a permit from the chief fire warden.
• Fires lit for the purpose of burning standing sugar cane for harvest in accordance with the established practice of the industry. Only between 6pm and 5am though, providing you’ve got the right permit.

11.46am: One for Throwback Thursday: This is how Ipswich kids kept cool in the 1920s.

11.40am: Don’t forget about the animals. They’ll need food, water and a cool spot to hang out.

“People simply have to be aware of the dangers,” says the RSPCA’s Michael Beatty.

“If it’s 30 degrees outside, the temperature inside a car can potentially rise to well over 40 in less than five minutes.

“We tested a light coloured sedan and the temperature rose to 57 degrees in 12 minutes. Any animal left inside would have been dead.”

Dogs left in backyards can also be in danger.

“A dog can survive for days without food, but in these temperatures, if they don’t have shade or can’t reach water they’ll die,” Mr Beatty says.

“A rope or a chain can easily become entangled in furniture or plants and that can be fatal. It’s far better to make the yard or courtyard secure and then it won’t be necessary to tether the dog in the first place.

“We would also recommend that there are at least two to three containers of water in case one gets knocked over.

“Exercising dogs in the middle of the day can also be dangerous at this time of the year. They tend to overheat very quickly and once their temperature rises above forty degrees they can die.”

11.30am: What are you doing to escape the heat? Send us your photos so we can share them with the rest of Ipswich.

Here’s what it looks like at Orion Lagoon right now: 

11.21am: Champion Ipswich runner and schoolteacher Clay Dawson got out early to beat the heat: “Clearly need to work on my tan, although with the weather as hot as this, I’ll look like Morgan Freeman in no time.”

11.17am: The temperature has hit 31 degrees. BoM predicts the peak temperatures will be at around 3pm this afternoon.

11.13am: Here’s some video of the line up at the Disney Pixar Cars Pit Stop event opposite Orion Lagoon. It’s a busy day.

11.07am: Hordes have descended on the Disney Pixar Cars Pit Stop event opposite Orion Lagoon. The lineup stretches down the street, some are suggesting for 150-200 metres. Never fear, the organisers have raided the local Woolies for icy poles to give away to the kids lining up in the heat.

10.58am: Looking to cool down? Come into the Ipswich Library for unlimited air-conditioning, unlimited WIFI and unlimited cold water. They’re open until 7pm tonight. There are plenty of places to relax, learn something new and play with state-of-the-art technology. It’s free for everyone to enjoy.

10:54am: To get the most out of today’s live coverage, please remember to refresh your page. You’ll then get all the updated information we’re providing. 

On a side note, be sure to send all your photos, tips, thoughts and advice to [email protected]

10.49am: Here are our top tips to keep your cool and beat the heat:

• Drink two to three litres of water a day, even if you’re not thirsty. Sports drinks, soft drinks, alcohol, tea and coffee are not substitutes for water.
• Avoid heavy protein foods like meat and dairy that raise body heat and increase fluid loss.
• Plan your day and keep activity to a minimum between 11am and 3pm.
• If you do go out remember to slip, slop, slap.
• Take cool showers or baths and splash yourself with cold water, particularly your face and the back of your neck.
• Provide animals with food, water and shelter.
• If you’re breastfeeding feed your baby more often and ensure you drink plenty of water.
• Give bottle-fed babies cool, boiled water between feeds.
• Provide children with small regular meals and minimise hot food.
• Don’t leave children, adults or animals in parked cars.

10.42am: So the actual record set at Amberley for a September day is 39.2 degrees. It’s 10.42am and we’re now over 30 degrees.

The mean top temperature for September is 25.6 degrees, so we’re already well ahead of that mark. To put it in perspective, the mean temperature at 9am for September is 18.3 degrees. It was 26 degrees at the same time this morning.

10.36am: Even the local 94.9 team are trying to get out of the heat. They’re dishing out mints and lollies at Robelle Domain and Orion Lagoon from 11am to 3pm.

10.25am: There are three types of heat-related illness which you might need to look out for. This list was provided by Queensland Health and relates specifically to children:

• Heat cramps: Symptoms are profuse sweating and painful muscle cramps, usually in the legs and stomach. Fix it by giving yourself a break, up the fluid intake and if it’s a child, put them in a lukewarm cool bath or shower. Stretch and gently massage affected muscles and seek medical attention if the cramps persist.
• Heat exhaustion: Symptoms are a pale complexion and profuse sweating, fatigue, weakness and restlessness in children, headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, a weak rapid heart rate, breathing fast and shallow, muscle cramps and fainting. Fix it by moving to the cool, preferably air conditioning, and remove excess clothing. Try a lukewarm shower, bath or sponge bath, put moist cool cloths on the forehead, wrists, sides of underarms and groin. Fan continuously. Give small sips of cool water or diluted fruit juice or cordial. If there’s vomiting, seek emergency medical assistance.
• Heat stroke: This is getting serious – symptoms are confusion, poor coordination or slurred speech, hot dry skin possibly not sweating, fast and shallow breathing, rapid pulse, extreme fatigue, headaches, fainting, vomiting and diarrhoea, or loss of consciousness. If this happens, be sure to check the airway and pulse. Position the child on their side and keep the airway clear. Seek urgent medical advice if the ambulance is delayed. Move into a cool place, remove excess clothing and place moist, cool cloths on the forehead, wrists, sides of neck, underarms and groin. Fan continuously. Give small sips of fluids if conscious and able to drink. Do not give any medications unless they are prescribed by the doctor.

10:16am: If you utter the phrase “I’m melting” today, be careful what you wish for. We found this clip from Channel 9’s A Current Affair, about a guy they labelled “melting man”:

10.11am: There is a total fire ban in place today, which includes any fires in open places. The ban started at midnight last night and will continue until midnight Saturday. That means all existing permits for those days have been cancelled.

But there is one piece of good news: Barbecues are okay if they’re not left unattended.

10am: No shenanigans, Sherlock. It’s hot. But just how darn hot is it going to get on this scorcher in Ipswich? At last prediction, the Bureau of Meteorology had us hitting 40 degrees. Right now, we’re at a cool 28 degrees and rising.