SEVERE HEAT

Hokitika Guardian, 25 February 1933, Page 2

SEVERE HEAT

SYDNEY AND SUBURBS EX-. PEIUENCE.

-MANY PEOPLE COLLAPSE. 'SYDNEY, February 14. A heal n ave, which had been operating in the inland districts of New South Wlaies, spread, to the coast on February Id, causing most uncomfortable conditions. The temperature was not particularly liigh in Sydney, tlie maximum being 90.8 degrees at 2.55 p.in., but the humidity was excessive. A. man died, and numerous people collapsed from the effects of the heat.

Patrick John Wall, aged 51, was? working at Lane Cove, when he complained of feeling ill. He walked into the hush and lay down in the shade. Some hours later lie was found by some workmen. He had died during the day. Numerous people collapsed in the course of the day. The Eastern Suburbs ambulance had an extremely busy day attending to people who had collapsed, and more than 40 patients were treated. The majority of these cases occurred on the beaches. In the city several people collapsed. The State meteorologist, Mr Mares, prepared some' very interesting comparisons to illustrate' the discomfort produced by the presence of moisture in the nir. He stated that the temperature was about 80 degrees in the city at 9 a.m. It rose to 90 degrees early in the afternoon, and then receded to 81 degrees at 8 p'.m. The humidity was about 70 ,/per cent, at 9 a,m. It receded to about 50 per cent, at tlio time of the maximum tempera, ture, and then rose again to 64 per cent. During the day there were between 7.1 and 7.8 grains of moisture present in each cubic foot of air.

Under normal conditions with a sea breeze in the summer time the number of grains of moisture present in a cubic foot of air is about 6.2. This amount was greatly exceeded throughout the day. A room 15 feet square bv 10 feet deep, said Mr Marcs, would contain about 1.6 pints of moisture in the -.summer time if conditions were normal, but under the prevailing conditions there would bo about two pints of water in suspension in the room.

The heat in the country was intense, and residents of the west and northwest were complaining that the heat was fast drying r.n surface water, which bad become depleted during a long dry spell. The greatest temperature was 144 degrees at Wee Waa. Bourke, BalranaM and Wentworth each experienced 112 degrees. Wilcannia and Broken Hill experienced 109 degrees, and Walgett, Deniliquin and Dubbo 107 degrees. The greatest temperatures on the coast were 111 degrees iat Grafton and 105 degrees at Newcastle.

Thousands of Sydney’s . residents sought relief from the oppressive weather on the beaches and in the baths at night. Bondi, Manly and Ooogeo each had large crowds in the surf, while thousands more sat and walked on the beaches in scanty attire. The seaside roads were thronged with motor-cars as families sought the cool sea ail*.