So, You reckon it gets hot in Aust? Check this out....

kiwijims · Guru

So, You reckon it gets hot in Aust? Check this out....

Dave1952 · Senior Member

Try working in the Pilbara in the summer, where daytime temps regularly hit the mid fifties. They are not officially recorded because the people there just take it as matter of fact.

Mike Harding · Guru

Dave1952 wrote:
Try working in the Pilbara in the summer, where daytime temps regularly hit the mid fifties. They are not officially recorded because the people there just take it as matter of fact.

They sure are recorded:

http://www.bom.gov.au/wa/observations/waall.shtml#PIL

And this is Marble Bar for Jan 2018 with means of 25.3C and 38.9C:

http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/201801/html/IDCJDW6079.201801.shtml

Dave1952 · Senior Member

Have you ever worked in the Pilbara Mike?

Possum3 · Guru

The American methodology of determining temperature is different to how it is done in Australia - Here we use a wet bulb thermometer encased in a white louvered housing effectively the air temperature in the shade.

PeterD · Guru

Possum3 wrote:
The American methodology of determining temperature is different to how it is done in Australia - Here we use a wet bulb thermometer encased in a white louvered housing effectively the air temperature in the shade.

The Stevenson screen is used internationally as the standard way of measuring temperature. The international convention for temperature and humidity measurement is to use two thermometers. The dry bulb thermometer is used for air temperature. The wet bulb thermometer is used in conjunction wit the dry bulb one to look up tables to ascertain the relative humidity. That is how it was done when working for DCA in the 60s and it still is done that way.

Mike Harding · Guru

Dave1952 wrote:
Have you ever worked in the Pilbara Mike?

So you think the Bureau of Meteorology's 20 Pilbara weather recording stations are all wrong but your anecdotal experience is correct?

rockylizard · Guru

Mike Harding wrote:
So you think the Bureau of Meteorology's 20 Pilbara weather recording stations are all wrong but your anecdotal experience is correct?

Gday...

Like Pete said, one needs to understand how "weather" is measured and recorded before dismissing "anecdotal experience".

There is considerable difference in the "official recorded temperature/s" and temperatures shown on a thermometer hanging in the shed or on the verandah or swinging off a tree.

How official temperature/weather is recorded -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevenson_screen

A Stevenson screen or instrument shelter is a shelter or an enclosure to shield meteorological instruments against precipitation and direct heat radiation from outside sources, while still allowing air to circulate freely around them.[1] It forms part of a standard weather station. The Stevenson screen holds instruments that may include thermometers (ordinary, maximum/minimum), a hygrometer, a psychrometer, a dewcell, a barometer and a thermograph. Stevenson screens may also be known as a cotton region shelter, an instrument shelter, a thermometer shelter, a thermoscreen or a thermometer screen. Its purpose is to provide a standardised environment in which to measure temperature, humidity, dewpoint and atmospheric pressure.

A bit more sophisticated than the thermometer hanging on the shed ... but the official temp is a 'shade temp' in a 'controlled' and reproducible environment and the one on the verandah will usually show a hotter 'air' temp - inconsistent and variable ... but still hot.

When I was doing some roofing contracting in Townsville a few years ago, I can tell you the temps we got on that roof were higher than the official reported ambient temps by the weather bureau.

An example of 'temperatures' other than ambient -

Track temperature is a critical parameter in Formula 1 tyre performance. Because the asphalt of grand prix circuit soaks up heat from the sun it can be considerably warmer than the ambient air temperature, often by 10°C or more.

Hotter track surfaces cause more tyre wear, meaning that soft tyres will last considerably less distance, and that harder tyres may be more optimal for the conditions. Track temperature may rise above 60°C at hot-weather races.

Cheers - John

[edit: rocky can't spell hmm ]

-- Edited by rockylizard on Friday 3rd of August 2018 08:44:49 AM

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Back in the late 70s early 80s I worked for 3 years in the iron ore industry in the Pilbara and if I remember correctly during summer the temperature on the coast would normally range between the mid 30s and the low 40s. Last year I spent the summer working both in Bahrain and then Oman, the temperature in the gulf in the peak of summer will hang in the low 40s to mid 40s and on some days will even climb above 50 - there are few clouds, little or no rain, no cool breezes, plenty of humidity and lots of dust storms. In Bahrain the safety guys used to take the wet bulb temperature readings prior to starting work to determine what heat management strategy the crew needed to use.

IMHO once temperatures start getting into the 40s or 50s I don't think it really matters who has the record- no doubt extreme temperatures are very uncomfortable but not taking the proper precautions when exposed to them can also threaten your life. Attached is the heat management tool we used each day it is based on the wet bulb reading - the little suction cap with the chain is where it was on that particular day.

Cheers

BB

Mike Harding · Guru

Hi BB

I lived in the Middle East for a couple of years installing big diesel generators and control systems in new towns being built in the desert. I arrived in Riyadh from the UK in late July at 10pm. At 7am the next morning I thought "This heat is not too bad", by 10am I thought I was going to die! :) There was no stop work for heat then we just put up with it. The hottest I recall was 54C in Baghdad even the Arabs were wilting. These days a pleasant 25C is more my style.

Dave1952 · Senior Member

Maybe we can all have a bit of a laugh anyway!!!

Diary of a Pom in Western Australia

August 31

Just got transferred with work from Leeds UK to our new home in Karratha, Western Australia. Now this is a town that knows how to live! Beautiful, sunny days and warm, balmy evenings. I watched the sunset from a deckchair by our pool yesterday. It was beautiful. Ive finally found my new home. I love it here.

September 13

Really heating up now. It got to 31 today. No problem though. Living in air-conditioned home, driving air-conditioned car. What a pleasure to see the sun every day like this. Im turning into a sun-worshipper no blasted rain like back in Leeds!!

September 30

Had the back yard landscaped with tropical plants today. Lots of palms and rocks. No more mowing lawns for me! Another scorcher today, but I love it here. Its Paradise!

October 10
The temperature hasnt been below 35 all week. How do people get used to this kind of heat? At least today its windy though. Keeps the flies off a bit. Acclimatizing is taking longer than we expected.

October 15
Fell asleep by the pool yesterday. Got third degree burns over 60% of my body. Missed three days off work. What a dumb thing to do. Got to respect the old sun in a climate like this!

October 20
Didnt notice Kitty (our cat) sneaking into the car before I left for work this morning. By the time I got back to the car after work, Kitty had died and swollen up to the size of a shopping bag and stuck to the upholstery. The car now smells like Whiskettes and cat ****. Ive learned my lesson though: no more pets in this heat.

October 25
This wind is a bastard. It feels like a giant f*****g blow dryer. And its hot as hell! The home air conditioner is on the blink and the repair man charged $200 just to drive over and tell me he needs to order parts from f*****g Perth .The wife & the kids are complaining.

October 30
The temperatures up around 40 and the parts still havent arrived for the ****ing air conditioner. House is an oven so weve all been sleeping outside by the pool for 3 nights now. Bloody $600,000 house and we cant even go inside. Why the hell did I ever come here?

November 4
Finally got the f*****g air-conditioner fixed. It cost $1,500 and gets the temperature down to around 25 degrees, but the humidity makes it feel about 35. Stupid repairman. F*****g thief

November 8
If one more smart bastard says Hot enough for you today? Im going to f*****g throttle him. F*****g heat! By the time I get to work, the car radiator is boiling over, my f*****g clothes are soaking f*****g wet and I smell like baked cat. F*****g place is the end of the Earth.

November 9
Tried to run some errands after work, wore shorts, and sat on the black leather upholstery in my car. I thought my ****ing arse was on fire. I lost 2 layers of flesh, all the hair on the backs of my legs and off my f*****g arse. Now the car smells like burnt hair, fried arse and baked cat. F***. F***. F***.

November 10
The Weather report might as well be a f*****g recording. Hot and sunny. Hot and sunny, Hot and f*****g sunny. It never f*****g changes! Its been too hot to do anything for 2 ****ing months and the weatherman says it might really warm up next week. F***!

November 15
Doesnt it ever rain in this damn f*****g place? Water restrictions will be next, so my $5,000 worth of palms might just dry up and blow into the f*****g pool. The only things that thrive in this f*****g hell-hole are the f*****g flies. You dont dare open your mouth for fear of swallowing half a dozen of the little bastards!

November 20
Welcome to HELL! It got to 45 f****n degrees today. Now the air conditioners gone in my car. The repair man came to fix it and said, Hot enough for you today? I wanted to shove the f*****g car up his f*****g arse. Anyway, had to spend the $2,500 mortgage payment to bail me out of jail for assaulting the stupid prick. F*****g Karratha! What kind of sick, demented f*****g idiot would want to live here!

December 1
WHAT!!!! The FIRST day of Summer!!!! You are f*****g kidding me!

Kebbin · Guru

That was a bloody gem Dave thank you.

Dave1952 · Senior Member

No worries Kebbin. I was very fond of printing it and giving it to all the Brits I worked with when they whinged about the heat.

The Belmont Bear · Guru

Mike they wanted me to stay in Oman until December this year but the thought of having to get through another summer in those sort of temperatures I just couldnt do it. Some things just aren,t worth it regardless of the money that they offer.

The poms diary made me laugh and also reminded me of a funny incident that I had with my kiwi next door neighbour nearly 40 years ago when we were living in Karratha. We lived in townhouses and shared the same carport, each afternoon after work we would sit out there and sink a few cold Emu Lagers while watching the storm clouds build up on the horizon. They always just bypassed us it never rained for a year. One day the clouds built up as usual but this time it actually rained in a real cloud burst. The roof was corrugated with no guttering so my kiwi mate took his shirt off and with his arms outstretched and mouth open stood under the water that was streaming off the roof. Before he knew it he was coloured bright orange and spitting out red mud from all the dust that had built up - kiwis have always been good entertainment value .

Cheers

BB

oldbloke · Guru

the wbgti is considered the best method of assess heat comfort or stress. It is recognised by all western countries and primary used by hygienists. It's been around for perhaps 30 or more years. There are two methods and one uses a black bulb as well as the wet and standard dry bulb. The black is to take into account the radiant heat when working in the direct sun light. It is a simple calculation.

Any other method is second rate.

June · Senior Member

Have been to Death Valley years ago when my best friend and I travelled around USA, Canada and Mexico in an old Kombivan with no air conditioning and it nearly drew the life out of us, did not expect the crossing to be so very hot. We pulled up at a rest area and there was a pile of ice cubes someone had tossed out on the ground and we quickly gathered them, put them into a couple of towels and draped them around our necks. We then high tailed it out of there as fast as we could go and thank goodness survived the journey. What an ordeal, and we thought Queensland was hot in summer! June C.

Mike Harding · Guru

I was there some years ago in April. I cannot remember the temperature in DV except that it was damn hot but I do recall having to take a long detour south in order to head north to San Francisco because the roads of the much shorter route across Yosemite just 200km or so north were still blocked by snow!

I think the very low elevation of DV (-86m) must contribute to a micro climate effect.

Cyclops · Veteran Member

I was working near Ti tree in NT in about 2006. We were camped at a beautiful rock hole called Annas reservoir with Anmatyerre rangers. Stuart camped there on his way north in 1860? Anyway it was hot. So hot kangaroos were crawling past us to get to the water. They took little notice of the humans there because they knew if they didnt get to the water they would die. The temperature at Aleron showed 52. The senior man with us said getting warm, better boil the billy.

Dont care whether it was a wet or dry thermometer bulb, I have never felt heat like that.
Pete

Death Valley's record hot month....