With the mercury predicted to hit 42 degrees Celsius (an improvement on the 46 initially forecast several days ago) in the small township today, the Bureau of Meteorology’s Mark Wilgar thrust Bulahdelah into the “superleague” of coastal temperatures, speculating why Bulahdelah “seems to get the extreme temperatures, especially in terms of the heat?”

“Looking at Google maps, there’s a valley barricaded east and west by mountains - a valley that’s orientated toward the north west. Hot dry winds funnel into the valley...I think the biggest influence is the orientation of Bulahdelah at the end of a pretty nice funnel, and perhaps the topographics trap it and barricade it from cooling off with the sea breeze.”

“I wonder if at the other end of the spectrum, as they are also exposed to the south, they are also the coldest? Everything is anecdotal at this stage!”

Mr Wilgar, who is the Observations Manager at the Williamtown Meteorological Office, said the current heatwave is due to an outbound high pressure system heading out into the Pacific.

“In the wake of that, wind has kicked around in the north west and we’re dragging a lot of hot air out from Queensland.”

He added that a southerly change brushing up the coast was due to hit Newcastle around lunchtime with the Mid North Coast soon to follow, bringing a reprieve. Bulahdelah’s 42 of today becomes 27 for tomorrow. By comparison, Taree’s 42 of today will become 23.

“The reality is we’re enduring a heat that comes with an Australian summer. Basically it looks like we’re on trajectory for a very hot January in particular, which if it continues will take us into the upper echelon for January [statistically].”