Orange reached the a new highest January temperature on Saturday with Weatherzone reporting that it reached 39 degrees.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The record from the past 20 years was initially set on January 12, 2013, and that figure was met at 3.02pm on Saturday.
The temperature had already reached 30 degrees by 9am, the day's minimum temperature was 21.2 degrees.
It follows a month where the previous maximum temperature for December was exceeded five times in 2019.
On Sunday the temperature is predicted to reach 35 degrees and a possible shower. A statewide Total Fire Ban has been declared for Sunday due to forecast warm and windy conditions.
No fires may be lit in the open and all fire permits are suspended during a Total Fire Ban.
More possible showers are predicted for Monday and the temperature is predicted to range from 11 to 29 degrees.
Air conditioners were in use across the city but with water restrictions in place those seeking alternative ways to cool down headed to the Orange Aquatic Centre, which had about 1000 visitors a day in the past few days.
However, a contamination issue at the indoor pools led to swimmers being directed outside and free entry was granted with the plan for entry to remain free for the rest of the afternoon until the pool closed at 6.30pm.
Among those who visited the pool earlier in the day were Hayley Good and her family who went to get out of the heat.
"We came for a swim and some lunch, it's a regular thing that they came down for," she said.
The extended McGregor family also travelled to the pool to cool down on Saturday.
Sue McGregor had family visiting from the Sydney area and although they were due to leave on Saturday they decided to remain in the area for another day due to temperatures at their home being above 40 degrees.
"We came in from Millthorpe to get away from the heat and the dry, our bore is running out," she said.
"We've been coming since New Year's Eve, we've been coming every day because the kids are up on holidays from Sydney."
The heat was also believed to have caused an 800-tonne mulch pile to smolder at the JR Richards and Sons Organic Recycling Facility at Euchareena Road, Molong.
DO YOU WANT MORE ORANGE NEWS?
- Receive our free newsletters delivered to your inbox, as well as breaking news alerts. Sign up below ...
Tanya Marschke
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
