Air temperatures for the next week (January 4 to 11) along the Lower North Coast of New South Wales are predicted to lie in the mid to high 20s. This is in line with annual climate data of a January 27 degrees Celsius average daily maximum.
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Water temperatures, however, are ahead of schedule in approaching the yearly maximum.
Visiting cousins, 13-year-old Noah Munro from Freshwater and Jess Edler, 12, from Frenchs Forest, used a baby's bath thermometer duckie to check the water temperature at Forster.
They found the temperature to be 23.9 degree. Online sources agreed.
Forster Beach surface sea water temperatures (SSWT) peak in the range 23 to 26 degree Celsius around February 2 and are at their lowest about August 16, in the range 18 to 20 degrees.
The Bureau of Meteorology is claiming a current spike in SSWT off the New South Wales (NSW) coast is producing a 'marine heatwave' which is having a profound impact on the weather patterns along the entire NSW coastline.
Warmer SSWT leads to increased evaporation, pumping more moisture into the atmosphere. This higher humidity can intensify rainfall and contribute to more intense precipitation as evidenced by recent storms.
Accordingly, the weather for the next week of the summer vacation period will feature high humidity, cloud cover, showers and possible thunderstorms in excess of what January normally produces.
Sun safety warning
With this current weather forecast of cloudy days, beach goers may be lulled into a false sense of security of protection from sunburn by cloud cover.
Although cloud cover reduces the intensity of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) light, visible light, and infrared radiation (IR), it reduces IR much more than UV. IR produces the sense of warmth from the sun while UV causes sun tan and sun burn. Up to 90 per cent of UV radiation can penetrate light cloud while sunbathers may not feel unduly hot.
Even on cloudy days, wearing sunscreen, protective clothing and sunglasses remains crucial for comprehensive sun protection. Clouds may offer some defence against sunburn, but a proactive approach to sun safety ensures a well-rounded defence against the potential risks of UV over exposure.
Cancer Council advise is to slip (on a shirt), slop (on sunscreen), slap (on a hat), seek (shade) and slide (on sunnies) - have fun outside but don't get fried.
