Sydney experiences muggiest day on record as dew point hits 26 degrees
If you thought it was muggier than usual today across Sydney, you'd be right.
Today's sweaty conditions meant that the city experienced the highest dew point ever recorded at Sydney's Observatory Hill.
Meteorologists measure the moisture in the atmosphere by tracking the dew point - the temperature the air must cool to for condensation to occur.
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A commuter at Town Hall station wipes away sweat on the muggiest day on record in Sydney. Dion Georgopoulos/The Sydney Morning Herald
People relaxing at Hyde Park. Dion Georgopoulos/The Sydney Morning Herald
A usual January morning will have a dew point of about 17 degrees.
This morning by 9am, the dew point was as high as 26 degrees.
The stifling conditions made it feel four to five degrees warmer than it really was.
So muggy was it, that by 12.40pm the dew point had reached 26.7 degrees, which would be extraordinarily high for any time of year.
"Evaporated moisture from a tongue of abnormally warm water flowing near the NSW coastline is being carried into the Sydney Basin by onshore winds," Weatherzone said.
"This airborne moisture is making it harder for people's bodies to lose heat through the evaporation of sweat, causing an oppressive muggy feeling that's more common in tropical cities like Darwin or Cairns."
Train station staff stay in front of a fan. Dion Georgopoulos/The Sydney Morning Herald
High dew points are a sign of plenty of moisture in the air.
The more moisture in the air, the higher the dew point and the harder it becomes for our bodies to cool by sweating.
Adding in a top of 32 degrees across Sydney, the high atmospheric moisture could give rise to localised showers.
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts a medium chance of showers near the city and a high chance in the west.
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