WeatherFanatics: 2015 Australian Open to Initially Escape Heat

Friday, January 16, 2015

2015 Australian Open to Initially Escape Heat

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

January 17,2015; 12:24AM,EST

While extreme heat will be absent for the start of the Australian Open, hotter air may return as the tournament progresses.
The 2015 Australian Open will commence on Monday in Melbourne, Australia, amid seasonable weather.
Clouds will mix with sunshine and temperatures will rise to around 24 C (75 F), which is not far from the normal high of 25.6 C (78 F).
Further warming will send temperatures into the upper 20s C (lower 80s F) on Tuesday, but the arrival of a cold front and its showers Tuesday afternoon will return temperatures back toward normal for Wednesday.

That will be the trend for the rest of the tournament's first week, stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Adam Douty.
"Another cold front rotating in from south of Australia will deliver more showers later in the week, in addition to keeping temperatures in check."
While heat is not in the cards for the initial week of the tournament, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls feels that the following week is shaping up to be warmer.
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"There are some indications that highs could be from 35-37 C (upper 90s F) around Jan. 28-29."
"[The heat] could be longer than just a couple of days, but the threat of hot weather looks to be greatest around those days," Nicholls added.
Extreme heat dominated weather headlines at the 2014 Australian Open as officials were forced to halt matches, players collapsed and hundreds of people were treated for heat exhaustion.
Temperatures soared to around 43 C (110 degrees F) on four consecutive days during the tournament's first week.

Frank Dancevic of Canada is protected from the direct sunlight after collapsing during his first round match against Benoit Paire of France in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
In response, organizers of the Australian Open adjusted the tournament's extreme heat policy prior to this year.
"The decision on implementing the heat policy will take into account the forecast once the ambient (surrounding) temperature exceeds 40 C (104 F) and the Wet Bulb Global Temperature reading exceeds 32.5 C (90.5 F)," Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley stated in a statement on the Australian Open's website, the BBC reported.
The Wet Bulb Global Temperature takes into account humidity, wind direction and heat.
There was no set temperature to activate the extreme heat policy under previous guidelines, according to the BBC. The decision was instead left entirely to the referee's decision.
Another change since 2014 is that there are now three retractable-roof stadiums at Melbourne Park after renovations were done to the Margaret Court Arena, according to the Australian Open's official website.

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