A total of 378 visitors cooled off at the pool during 40.3C heat on Monday, versus 157 visitors last Monday.

Even more, 413 visitors, took a dip under the blaze of 39.5C heat on Tuesday, versus 198 last Tuesday.

Intense temperatures, caused by the severe heatwave in large parts of New South Wales, are not expected to drop until the weekend, either.

Temperatures in Yass are predicted to climb to 43C on Wednesday, 44C on Thursday and 43C on Friday, before dropping to 34C on Saturday and 31C on Sunday (source: Bureau of Meteorology).

The NSW Rural Fire Service is on high alert and a Very High Danger rating remains in place for the Southern Tablelands.

All unattended fires should be reported to Triple Zero (000).

Landholders are advised to defer outdoor mechanical works during the heat of the day and residents are advised to stay alert and ensure their family is aware of their Bush Fire Survival Plan.

Residents can stay informed on fires by checking:

Health authorities are advising people to stay inside and keep out of the heat, especially between 11am and 5pm.

People should also drink plenty of water and remember to carry some with them when out and about; alcoholic, hot or sugary drinks should be avoided.

People should also shade windows to keep cool inside.

“Heat puts a lot of strain on the body and can cause dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. It can also make underlying health conditions worse,” Southern NSW Local Health District Director Public Health Tracey Oakman said.

“Never leave your pet in the car, regardless of whether the windows are down or if it’s not particularly hot outside.”

This is the advice from Yass Valley Veterinary, veterinarian Daniel Gerrard on how to take care of your animals during the heatwave.

Mr Gerrard also advises to:

“Typical signs [of heat-related illness in animals] include excessive or noisy panting; excessive salivation or drooling and in severe cases, you could see a confused or dazed state or the animal could collapse,” Mr Gerrard said.

While not specific, symptoms could also include vomiting or diarrhea.

If anyone has any concerns about their animal, call the Yass or Murrumbateman Veterinary Hospital on 6226 4444.

While transporting the animal to the vet, owners can turn the air conditioning on in their car and place wet towels and ice packs under the hairless parts of the animal (armpits or the groin), according to Mr Gerrard.

“We should stress not to put the animal in an ice bath… This decreases their ability to lose heat, so just wet towels or running water,” Mr Gerrard said.

It was the warmest year on record for NSW in 2018 and the third warmest year on record for Australia, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

The country’s annual mean temperature was 1.14C above average, while the nationally-averaged rainfall was 11 per cent lower in 2018.

BOM predicts drier and warmer than average days between January and March.

The cause is related to anthropogenic climate change or climate change caused by human activity, according to BOM’s latest Australian Annual Climate Statement.

Australian annual mean temperatures have increased by just over one degree since 1910, with most of the warming occurring since 1950, according to BOM.

Australia is not yet in an El Nino (warmer) phase, however, the country remains on El Nino alert.

“While waters at and beneath the surface of the tropical Pacific have been warmer than average since mid-2018, atmospheric indicators of El Niño/Southern Oscillation such as cloudiness, trade winds and the Southern Oscillation Index have not responded and have mostly remained neutral,” BOM said. 

“For an El Niño to become established, the atmosphere needs to reinforce and respond to the warmer waters at the ocean's surface. This reinforcement is what allows the widespread global effects on weather and climate to occur.”