# Southern Australian Dopers - how are you coping with the heat? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 11, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482 "2010-01-11T04:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/1 "2010-01-11T04:35:49Z")
I see that, as at 3.30pm, the temperatures are up to 41.6C in Melbourne and 42.2C in Adelaide. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/2 "2010-01-11T04:38:14Z")
[Here’s something to listen to](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lM5x3TJpP24) while you await answers from SA Dopers. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/3 "2010-01-11T04:55:03Z")
> [@Cunctator](#): > > I see that, as at 3.30pm, the temperatures are up to 41.6C in Melbourne and 42.2C in Adelaide. That’s nothing; it’s a 112-year record 47 here in Key West where I’m on business…oh wait…I see you are using centigrade. [http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jmGkrRUNe6B94LovI88dn98m5Sxg](http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jmGkrRUNe6B94LovI88dn98m5Sxg) ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/4 "2010-01-11T05:08:54Z")
For reference, this will be 4 days in a row over 40c for Adelaide. And only a few weeks ago they had a longer stretch, I think 8 days, all over 40c also (a record since European settlement). ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/5 "2010-01-11T05:14:19Z")
When I lived in the desert, temperatures of 42º and higher in the Summer. Key: ‘desert’. How’s the humidity down there? ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/6 "2010-01-11T05:16:24Z")
Very low, routinely under 10%. It’s a mediterranean climate. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/7 "2010-01-11T05:16:35Z")
Wasn’t last year (2009) heatwave the worst? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/8 "2010-01-11T05:21:23Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Very low, routinely under 10%. It’s a mediterranean climate. Doesn’t sound so bad. As long as your house has a swamp cooler. (This, from a guy who has relocated to the Pacific Northwest, where Summer temps are like 30º. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![madrabbitwoman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c37758/32.png) [@madrabbitwoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madrabbitwoman)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/9 "2010-01-11T06:01:11Z")
43.6 here yesterday today was supposed to be hotter. [http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/201001/html/IDCJDW2039.201001.shtml](http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/dwo/201001/html/IDCJDW2039.201001.shtml) Thank God for my excellent aircon ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/10 "2010-01-11T06:08:58Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Wasn’t last year (2009) heatwave the worst? We broke some records, yes. Looks like we’re going to outdo ourselves again. I’m about to get on a bike and cycle home in the (checks BoM site) 42.8 degrees. Oh joy! ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/11 "2010-01-11T06:30:26Z")
Just got back from shopping and the car-thermometer read at 43-45c for the trip. Luckily it’s only a five minute trip and the air-con in the car works a treat. Wish I could say the same for the dodgy old cooling unit/s we have here at home. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/12 "2010-01-11T07:04:10Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Very low, routinely under 10%. It’s a mediterranean climate. We had a day like that once here - it was only about 25% humidity when it got to 96F/35.5C. It felt much cooler than it does at 85F/90% humidity, which is more typical here. And I do mean once, I’ve never experienced anything like “dry heat” other than that. We don’t even have winters that dry, given 30+% humidity is typical all winter long here. I’m glad that it’s not very humid if it’s going to be that hot for days at a time, so hopefully it won’t feel like a tour through hell. Does low humidity increase the risk of dehydration, though? When you’re sweating your ass off due to high humidity, it’s not hard to remember you need to drink. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/13 "2010-01-11T07:52:40Z")
Last time this happened, I was living in a pokey little apartment sandwiched between two floors made of breezeblocks that heated up. Not fun at all. Today I am in an air conditioned cottage. Aaaaahhhh… much nicer. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/14 "2010-01-11T09:24:03Z")
Took the 2 month old **Baby From Mars** to Doncaster Mall and hung out in the aircon there - better than wasting the energy running our rather inefficient aircon in the one room of the house that has it. Closed all curtains and doors before we left, and got home just now to find it nice and cool inside (benefits of no North facing windows!) Meant to be cooler here tomorrow, so we’ll see. I remember a year or two ago cycling home from work in 40+ degree weather - stopped half way at the supermarket to wander aimlessly around the frozen food section to cool off! ---
**Author:** ![Layla01](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/layla01/32/15552_2.png) [@Layla01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Layla01)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/15 "2010-01-11T10:22:25Z")
I’m in Adelaide - but I’m used to the temperatures now. Just keep the windows closed at night, blinds down and wait it out til evening. Dry heat is not so much of a problem as humidity. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/16 "2010-01-11T11:41:04Z")
It just doesn’t compute. My brain knows how the seasons work, but it’s 14°F here (-10°C) as I write this and the idea that a mere half a world away, people are roasting… I guess these extremes make us appreciate the moderate days, right? Or they make us appreciate our air conditioners and furnaces. ---
**Author:** ![Caught\_Work](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@Caught\_Work](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caught_Work)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/17 "2010-01-11T12:05:10Z")
44.7 degrees Celsius = 112.46 degrees Fahrenheit at 4:32pm. 32.9 degrees Celsius = 91.22 degrees Fahrenheit at 11:02pm. This is fucking ridiculous. We’ve been in the pool since about 4:00pm, but you can only get so wrinkly. We’re now sitting under the aircon playing video games, but it’s bedtime for me and I expect a shitty nights sleep. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/18 "2010-01-11T12:29:48Z")
I’ve managed to be away for the worst of it. Overall I don’t mind. 40C is alright with low humidity, the windows opened up, and the evaporative aircon doing its thing. We get a nice breeze through our house at night. The only thing I really don’t like about it is it just destroys our garden. ---
**Author:** ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/19 "2010-01-11T13:26:29Z")
I’m working overtime to keep my container garden watered but the leaves on my tomato plants are curling and turning brown. It’s also sapping my will to exercise - the gyms I go to are nice and cool but the 15 minute walks there are a killer. I live on the top floor of a west facing apartment building so it gets pretty nasty. I mainly stay in the study with the a/c on. The rest of the apartment is like an oven because I’m trying to keep a/c use to a minimum (although I’m pre-chilling the bedroom in preparation for sleep). Half past midnight and still over 35C (95F). Anyone know a country where it stays about 20C (68F) year round? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482/20 "2010-01-11T13:36:22Z")
20 is a bit cool isn’t it? I think my ideal would be something like Broome’s dry season all year around. I can get that for six months in Broome but need somewhere in the Northern Hemisphere for the other six. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/southern-australian-dopers-how-are-you-coping-with-the-heat/524482.md?page=2)