BATHURST dodged a temperature bullet on Wednesday, but the city remains a chance of setting a January record as a heatwave continues to crawl across the state.
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The forecast was for Bathurst to hit 41 degrees on Wednesday – which would have been close to the city’s hottest day on record, 41.5 degrees, set in February 2017 – but the mercury remained under 38 degrees in the end.
But the heat isn’t over yet and the forecast of 40 degrees on Thursday and Friday could still put the official January record of 40.2, taken at the Bathurst Agricultural Station in 2013, under threat.
Weatherzone meteorologist Craig McIntosh said it will all depend on the cloud cover.
“It’s hard to tell if it’s going to get hotter than Wednesday,” he said.
“Before a cool change on Friday evening, it could get hotter, but that depends on the cloud cover.
“Thursday and Friday are the best days for the record to be broken. Friday will be extremely hot just before that change in the evening.”
The heatwave is a result of a slow-moving trough from Western Australia that is dragging hot air over NSW.
A change on Friday will not be a blast of cold air, but rather a slight cooling that takes maximums back to the low 30s.
NSW Rural Fire Service Chifley/Lithgow Team district co-ordinator Gary Hansen said there were no fire concerns throughout Wednesday morning and afternoon, but said his team were concerned about a storm set to cross Bathurst on Wednesday evening.
“We had a reasonably good day, but it’ll depend on the storm that’s coming up from Oberon on Wednesday afternoon,” he said.
“Fires can start up from any strikes that hit bush or trees and they may not necessarily get picked up on straight away.
“If there is a fire, only call Triple 0, no other number.
“Make sure you stay cool and hydrated. It’s also a good chance to review your fire safety plan.”
Mr Hansen said a rapid aerial response will be on hand on Thursday in case the fire danger increases.
A total fire ban will be in place for the Lower Central West Plains on Thursday, January 17 due to ongoing severe heatwave conditions.
Temperatures are predicted to again rise on Thursday into the 40s with a total fire ban in not just Bathurst, but Blayney, Cabonne, Cowra, Lithgow, Mid-Western, Oberon and Orange council areas as well.
Temperatures are expected to slightly fall on Thursday, with a high of 32 degrees forecast, alongside isolated thunderstorms.