Doctors warn there are biological limits to temperatures we can survive, and exposure to extreme heat can provoke a heart attack

Australia’s southern states are scorching in extreme heat that could break temperature records in Victoria and South Australia on Tuesday.

At Ouyen and Mildura in north-west Victoria, temperatures of 49C were forecast for Tuesday afternoon. If reached, they would break the state’s all-time temperature record of 48.8C, set in Hopetoun on Black Saturday in 2009. By 1pm, temperatures of 46.2C in Ouyen and 44.8C in Mildura had been recorded.

At Ouyen and Mildura in north-west Victoria, temperatures of 49C were forecast for Tuesday afternoon. If reached, they would break the state’s all-time temperature record of 48.8C, set in Hopetoun on Black Saturday in 2009. By 1pm, temperatures of 46.2C in Ouyen and 44.8C in Mildura had been recorded.

In Adelaide, the mercury hit 40C before 9.30am on Tuesday, after overnight lows of 35C, BoM observations showed.

Extreme heat is the most common cause of weather-related hospitalisations in Australia, and kills more people than all other natural hazards combined. What does exposure to extreme heat – such as a temperature of 49C – do to the body?

  • chonglibloodsport@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    13 hours ago

    Depends on the capacity, but in general it would have really heavy reinforced walls, like a really high pressure boiler.

    I have an instant pot and an espresso machine. The instant pot can manage maybe 2 bar, the espresso machine up to 4 (in its boiler). Both are pretty heavy construction.

    • vane@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      12 hours ago

      I figured out so far that Locomotive engine have 200-250 psi that is 13-17 bar. Maximum implemented boiler pressure so far is around 300 psi 20 bar. So it probably would be a world record machine. :)