That Southerly Change still Far, Far Away

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's here, the first forecast 40 degree day of summer.

The Hunter has been sweating through the day with temperatures across the region reaching the mid to high 30s. It hit 40 degrees in Tocal at 2:20pm.

A reprieve is still a few hours away though, a southerly change is on the radar and will hit the coastline first between 2am and 3am tomorrow morning.

"So that means it's going to be a really hot evening tonight, we'll go to bed under very hot circumstances but then we'll have a cool breeze moving in across the coastal suburbs during the early hours, but this system isn't really strong enough to clear the heat from the Upper Hunter so it's going to remain quite hot there," said NBN weatherman Gavin Morris.

The hot temperatures have sparked warnings to look out for the most vulnerable in the community. Ambulance Chief Inspector Brian Parcell said the elderly and children are most at risk of conditions such as heat stroke. 

"In a medical emergency dial Triple Zero because people who have had a heat-related event, particularly heat exhaustion, and heat stroke there's a 25 per cent mortality rate associated with that."

Meanwhile, pet owners are being reminded to take extra care of their animals in the heat. Just this week a dog died in Sydney after being left in a car for six hours.

RSPCA NSW Chief Inspector David O'Shaughnessy said there are plenty of ways owners can keep their animals cool.

"You can put ice cubes in water bowls if you're not going to be there, place those water bowls in a cool shaded area and out of direct sun. When you're walking your dog if you're going to take it for a walk, take it early  in the morning or late in the evening to avoid the hottest part of the day."

Gavin Morris said warm air will still be making its way over Newcastle on Saturday before a cooler day on Sunday with temperatures in the mid 20s.

Looking ahead to next week through the hot air will back with high 30 degree days.

Batten down the hatches!

BY JESSICA ROUSE

It's about to get a whole lot colder in Newcastle but if you're in the Barrington Tops it's about to get freezing. 

Snow is predicted to fall on the Barrington Tops with an east coast low funnelling through the Hunter tonight bringing with it strong seas, cold wind and rain for most of the week.

Wind speeds will pick up tonight with cold temperatures, shower activity on the coastal fringe with some of the moisture landing on the high peaks of the Barrington Tops, big seas, and very cold wind chill factors which will combine to make the perfect conditions for snow on the high peaks.

"Well it looks like the east coast low will form, its going to hit us quite hard overnight and throughout tomorrow and then it looks like it's going to track north and its going to hug the northern NSW coast and that means we're going to be on the southern side of it and whenever you're on the southern side of a low that drives in those strong winds, the showers and the clouds," said NBN weather presenter Gavin Morris.

The first dusting of snow is being predicted for the Barrington Tops by tomorrow morning.

"Places along the coastal fringe exposed to those high wind areas, make sure you tie down everything including trampolines! Everybody forgets about them but they're usually the first to get lifted out of the backyard, check boats and moorings and all those sorts of things. Go and give them a check today to make sure they're all secure," said Gavin Morris.

Image journaltimes.com

Rain, rain go away, come again another day

BY JESSICA ROUSE

The Hunter is in for a change in weather this weekend with northeasterly winds forecast for this afternoon and a wet, wet weekend.

A slow moving rain band is making its way across the state and will bring with it a consistent dumping of rain which will be around for most of the weekend. It's not expected there'll be hundreds of millimetres of rain, but there'll be plenty of it and possibly thunderstorms.

"There's a big rain band moving in across the western part of the state and that is going to be moving through tonight and it's fairly slow moving so it's going to take most of Friday night into Saturday and probably affect the majority of Saturday as well so it's widespread in most locations right throughout the greater Hunter are going to see rain from this," said NBN Weather presenter Gavin Morris.

It'll be colder too, with a lack of sunshine, temperatures will fall into the low teens overnight and stay quite cool into next week.

"We've got a real lack of heating due to no sunshine. It's a big blanket of cloud. The winds are out of the north east and they're going to be getting moderately strong but generally, when you've got them out of the north it's not as cold, it's just due to the lack of heating as that rain band moves through," said Gavin Morris.

The rain couldn't have picked a worse weekend to come, with plenty of outdoor events planned for the weekend including the annual Lovedale Long Lunch in the Hunter Valley.

"There's a lot of outdoor activites that are on this weekend so if you've got one just be prepared for that rain. It's not one of those huge east coast lows and its not a massive weather event but it is going to be wet so the big tip is just be prepared for that wet weather," said Gavin Morris.