It’s official – Saturday was the hottest day in recorded history at a string of locations across the Hunter.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The searing heat smashed all-time weather records at Singleton, Maitland, Cessnock and Williamtown as the mercury surged into the high 40s.
Only the coastal parts of Newcastle and Lake Macquarie were spared, as sea breezes kept temperatures comparatively bearable in the high 30s.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Singleton bore the brunt of the heatwave, with the highest recorded temperature of 47.2 degrees. The previous record was 45.9 degrees, set on New Year’s Day in 2006.
Cessnock recorded a maximum of 46.8, breaking the previous hottest record of 45 degrees set at the airport weather station on January 18 in 2013.
Williamtown reached 45.5 degrees, also breaking a record set on January 18 2013, when the temperature reached 44.8 degrees.
Maitland’s top of 45.6 degrees snapped a record from February 21 2004, of 44.5 degrees.
With each kilometre inland, the heat became more oppressive. Nobbys Head recorded a maximum of 36.4 degrees, well below the historical records, but eight kilometres away at Newcastle University the mercury peaked at 43.5 degrees.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Gabrielle Woodhouse said the conditions were the result of a high pressure system that had stalled over inland central Australia building up heat.
A trough and north-westerly winds had then dragged the hot air mass over New South Wales, triggering catastrophic bushfire conditions.
Sunday saw similar blistering heat until a cool change in the mid-afternoon saw temperatures plummet as much as 17 degrees in two hours at Cessnock.
Ms Woodhouse said temperatures were likely to remain mild for the early part of the week.
“The next few days should see some showers and temperatures in the mid twenties throughout parts of the Hunter,” she said.
Saturday saw tensions reignite between Tomago Aluminium and AGL Energy, after the aluminium smelter was asked to curtail its electricity usage for a second time.
"This procedure has been implemented previously without adverse effect," AGL said in a statement.
Punters flocked to the city’s beaches and shopping malls over the weekend for respite. Bar Beach was still teeming with people late into the night on Saturday, while Charlestown Square reported that more than 50,000 people passed through its doors during the day.
That represented a 12 per cent increase on their usual Saturday numbers, according to centre manager Dwight Hodgetts.
“That’s pretty high for this time of the year,” he said.
“Typically shopping centres are a bit of a haven when the temperatures start to climb and the Reading Cinemas are also very popular for the air-conditioned comfort.”
But Mr Hodgetts admitted he was looking forward to this week’s cooler weather.
