Melbourne’s Air Quality Nosedives As Bushfire Smoke Blows In From NSW

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December 20, 2019

A thick cloud of smoke has filled Melbourne’s CBD as a strong northeasterly wind brings the toxic NSW bushfire smoke into the city.

The CBD was quickly covered in a blanket of smoke at around 11.30am on Friday morning, with it expecting to peak at approximately 1pm.

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Melbourne has managed to avoid the smokey haze thus far, but it appears our clear skies are no more as the bushfire smoke moves south.

It is estimated that up to 25% of the country is covered by a thick smoke that looks like low cloud cover, according to The Age.

“Smoke has travelled a long way south from the bushfires currently impacting eastern NSW,” a Bureau of Meteorology Victoria spokesman said.

Our webcam at Kilmore captured the tide of smoke as it moved over the ranges before reaching #Melbourne. The smoke is trapped under an inversion but is expected to gradually disperse as temperatures increase and ventilation improves. Check @EPA_Victoria for air quality info pic.twitter.com/GgEEnVcAz1

— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) December 20, 2019

“Northerly winds have dragged the smoke over the divide, as far as Melbourne this morning.”

“As the temperature continues to rise in Melbourne, the low level temperature inversion should break down and the smoke should thin out, although conditions are likely to remain hazy into the afternoon.”

According to EPA Victoria, the air quality rating across Melbourne is expected to drop to “poor” as the cloud of smoke settles in the city.

The poor air quality has hit Melbourne on what is already expected to be the hottest December day in a whopping 143 years.

Melbourne’s temperature exceeded 37 degrees by midday, and is expected to hit 41C by 2pm before peaking at 44C at 5pm. In other words, stay in doors, keep your pets indoors, drink lots of water and park yourself in front of the air conditioner.

The last time Melbourne hit 44C was back in 1876, so today could potentially be the second-hottest day since the 46.4C Black Saturday in February 2009.

Thankfully, the mercury is expected to drop to a maximum of 20C tomorrow after a cool change that’s expected to hit at midnight, according to 9News.

“The cool change is still on track and is still later than anyone would want,” Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Keris Arndt said. “We will slowly cool down with the sun going down but we won’t have any cool air until about midnight.”

Holy shite! Smoke and haze! #Melbourne pic.twitter.com/j6wrjbGGsY

— Abhi Chandrasekar (@AbhiramChandra) December 20, 2019

https://twitter.com/ozjimbob/status/1207805821230309376

This is quite incredible; the State Control Centre says the smoke haze that has shrouded #Melbourne is from the NSW bushfires @9NewsMelb @9NewsAUS @vicemergency #melbourneweather #NSWbushfires #NSWfires pic.twitter.com/rsYbCgUOpN

— Tom Kelly (@tpwkelly) December 20, 2019