Source: The Guardian

An extreme heat warning has been issued for South Australia as the state continues to swelter through heatwave conditions.

The mercury reached 36.2C in Adelaide on Tuesday and the Bureau of Meteorology says the city’s top temperatures will be 39C on Wednesday and will not fall below 40C until a mild change on Sunday.

The heatwave is expected to peak on Saturday with a top of 42C forecast.

The State Emergency Service says the conditions pose a risk to public safety and people are urged to take appropriate precautions to ensure their safety and the safety of others, especially elderly relatives, friends and neighbours.

Residents have also been warned to prepare for power cuts as demands on the electricity network increase.

Adelaide’s week-long December heatwave will be the first for the city since 2009 and only the second since the 1930s.

Melbourne may also reach 40C on Saturday, which would make it the hottest December day since New Year’s Eve 2010. Rod Dickson, duty forecaster for the Bureau of Meteorology in Victoria, said the city’s temperature was forecast to reach 39C, but it could well tip over.

Dickson said it was expected to remain warm overnight on Saturday, dropping down to just 24C early on Sunday morning. 

Conditions are likely to be testing for Saturday’s A-League derby between Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park. Last month, Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold warned that a player could die unless the A-League changed its heat policy, after the club played in 34C heat in Perth.

As of Wednesday, the Victorian department of health had not issued an extreme heat warning.

Source: The Guardian