We think we have it tough, but here’s a Community Service Announcement from my erstwhile hometown in Far North Queensland on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef:

Cairns Residents woke to record low temperature this morning prompting authorities to issue warnings.

Parts of the region are already under 20c prompting the Cairns Cold Warning Centre (CCWC) to issue an Emergency warning bulletin, the first in many years.
Spokesman from the CCWC, Mike Hunt said “Forecast showed that we were going to get the cold front, as they have down south. However, our models showed we were getting in the low 20’s. No one predicted we would be in the teens. Its 19c people!”.

Cairns Mayor, Bob Manning has urged Cairns residents to take safety measures during this cold snap. Here are just a few of their winter tips taken from the Cairns Regional Council website;
• Stay indoors. Only go out if it’s essential.
• Wear socks with thongs, don’t worry how it looks, safety first.
• Consider not using fans. If you must, use the low setting.
• Leave car headlights on overnight, to stop them from freezing over
• Consider using luke warm water bottles
• Regularly post photos of your dog so everyone knows he’s okay
• Use less ice in your drinks.

Just like the Toilet paper hoarding months ago, authorities have again witnessed more panic shopping. One example is Kmart Cairns Central, who has completely sold out of their fan heaters, Yes both of them.

Pillow Talk Cairns sold out of their thick doonas. Store manager Mo Lester said “we only had 2 thick doonas as they were sent to us in error. However, we do have 78 normal doonas in stock and during these trying times we are suggesting people sew two together”. They have introduced a 2 doona limit until further notice.

By Monday, the CCWC says the extreme cold will go bringing temperatures back to our normal winter conditions of >25c…

Oh, the humanity…

🙂

People have interesting names where you’re from.

Mike Hunt
Mo Lester
Bob Manning

Cairns Mayor, Bob Manning has urged Cairns residents to take safety measures during this cold snap. Here are just a few of their winter tips taken from the Cairns Regional Council website;
• Stay indoors. Only go out if it’s essential.
• Wear socks with thongs, don’t worry how it looks, safety first.
• Consider not using fans. If you must, use the low setting.
• Leave car headlights on overnight, to stop them from freezing over
• Consider using luke warm water bottles
• Regularly post photos of your dog so everyone knows he’s okay
• Use less ice in your drinks.

I really don’t think this is serious, someone’s clearly taking the piss.

I’d be interested to hear what Mike Oxlong has to say about it.

What about recent Mississippi graduate, Harry Azcrac?

CountZero
I really don’t think this is serious, someone’s clearly taking the piss.

On a slightly more serious note, the way the locals in Cairns react to sub 20ºC temps is like subzero here.

You’ll see tourists from the northern hemisphere wandering around sweating in shorts and t-shirt, while the locals wear every article of clothing they possess, and still shiver.

Truly a sight to behold. 🙂

Mike Oxlong

Ha Ha I hear Mike Oxsmaul, but not that one…

Has Mike Hunt got a son called Isaac?

I think you pretty much have to have a misadjusted thermostat to live there. We had it around 30deg in the night. Had to sleep with plastic bottle filled with ice. In the day it was ridiculous

In the late 70s I visited a book printer in India. No air con in the hotel so before bed it was a ‘cold’ shower, get the sheets wet and then sleep with the overhead fan ticking away.

Bob Manning
https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/council/mayor-and-councillors/mayor

I used to live on Koh Phangan in the Gulf of Thailand. In January the average temperature falls to about 27º.
My Thai friends were hilarious – they’d start to wear trousers, hoodies and scarves, and sit around shuddering and saying ‘yen’ (cold) between gritted teeth. All the ferangs were still wearing shorts and t-shirts of course.

I used to tell them that if I ever became rich I’d take them for a holiday in Scotland in January.

A mate of mine from Scotland took his girlfriend on a 3 week holiday to (can’t remember exactly where, possibly dubai)
He told me for the first week it was a proper heatwave, even for that area, i think he mentioned close to 50C.
But after a week or so, it dropped to about 30C, and he did say ‘I know this sounds crazy, but I considered putting a cardigan on’
So, all piss taking aside, I reckon you get used to the temperature in time.