CANBERRA/SYDNEY - Australia could be heading for its third-warmest summer on record, with many places likely to experience a warmer and drier period than normal in autumn, from March to May, the weather authorities said on Feb 29.

“Australia is on track to have the third-warmest summer on record nationally, after 2018 to 2019 and 2019 to 2020,” the Bureau of Meteorology said in a statement.  

The bureau said most of Australia has at least an 80 per cent chance of experiencing above average temperatures during the Southern Hemisphere autumn.

There was a 60 per cent to 75 per cent chance of below median rainfall across large parts of the country, including most of the states of New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

But the chances of above or below median rainfall were roughly even elsewhere, such as most of South Australia and southern and central Western Australia, the bureau added.

The weather has a huge impact on crop yields and livestock markets in Australia, a major exporter of agricultural commodities.

The country is now growing summer crops, such as sorghum and cotton, with planting of much larger crops of wheat, barley and canola set to begin around April and May.

The vast majority of Australia's grain is grown in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.

Last year was Australia's eighth-warmest year on record, which the weather bureau attributed to climate change.

Conditions swung from widespread flooding through the hottest winter and driest three months on record to heavy rainfall as the year ended.

As Australia’s scorching summer heat intensifies, a team of researchers has launched an initiative to protect one of the country’s most vulnerable demographics: the homeless.

Australia’s first mobile cooling hubs are set up on hot days in Sydney city parks close to where homeless communities gather, providing food, fans, cold water and a space to chat.

Temperatures soared as high as 39 deg C in parts of the New South Wales capital on Feb 29.

But in the shade of white tents, locals sat on rows of seats facing large industrial fans as they nibbled on snacks and chatted. Some days, food trucks will set up nearby.

For those like Mr Alan Patrick Mcleod, who has been homeless for more than a year, the hubs are a godsend.

“Feels kinda like I’m just at the beach more or less… I’m relaxed. It’s a beautiful place, very beautiful.”

Social housing resident Adam Abbi had nowhere to go while his home was being repaired and promised alternative accommodation fell through, so he came down to the hub with his dog.

“I’m so happy and grateful, I can’t tell you. I don’t mind being hot… you just sit there and sweat for no reason, but she’s 17, she needs to be comfortable and cool,” Mr Abbi said, referring to his dog.

According to Dr Timothy English of the University of Sydney and the project’s lead researcher, heatwaves kill more people than any other natural disaster, but people are rarely aware of how deadly hot days can be.

“For an earthquake, for floods and things… it’s very vivid,” he told Reuters. “But for heat… it doesn’t have that shock.”

The project is a collaboration between the University of Sydney, St Vincent’s Hospital Sydney, University of Technology Sydney, Queensland University of Technology, and the City of Sydney. REUTERS