|
March 8, 2008
It looks so green, fresh and cool. I long for the the return of the autumn rains and winter We are in the midst of a heatwave in South Australia. It is very hot and very still, with no cooling winds in the evening. Like everyone else we have fled to the coast to escape the oppressive heat (35-40 degrees) in Adelaide. There is not a spare room, apartment or unit in Victor Harbor this long weekend.
Gary Sauer-Thompson, Agtet+ Bluff, Victor Harbor, 2007
It's day after day of blue sky, bright sun, warm northerly winds during the day, fierce heat and little let up in the evenings in Adelaide's semi-desert conditions. The houses are hot, the computers close down, the airconditioners barely cope with the heat, gardens wilt, and Adelaide's water supply dwindles.
These autumn temperatures have not been recorded in Adelaide since an eight-day heat wave in 1934. It is predicted there will be no relief from the heat until Tuesday week, when temperatures are tipped to descend into the 20s.The extended hot spell is a product of north winds coming off the desert.
The upside of the heatwave is that it is warm enough to use the beach in the early morning and in the early evening. Swimming in the water cools the body down and provides comfort from the heat. The rest of the day is spent avoiding the sun and longing for a cool coastal breeze to lower the temperature.
|
This heat is getting outrageous. I just spent the weekend at Womadelaide in 40 degrees. The Botanic Gardens couldn't be watered so it had turned into a dustbowl. We were watching music through clouds of dust. Some people even wore industrial face masks to stop breathing in the dust.
Saying that, I did witness an absolutely glorious performance by Mavis Staples and her band which made up for environment.