Only one topic of discussion in Sydney today, and that's the weather, which hit a peak of 45.8C/114.4F.

All anyone seemed to say to anyone else was-

In the morning: "Do you think it'll get as hot as the weatherman says?"

At lunch: "Do you think it'll get any hotter than it is now?"(to which the answer turned out to be yes)

In the late afternoon: "Do you think it's going to cool down enough to sleep tonight?"

There was a tangent conversation, which started c.5pm:"Have the train tracks buckled and the overhead wiring fried on my train line due to the heat (the answer was yes to all except one line) and would it be faster to walk home than get the train?" (again, the answer was very definitely yes).

This blistering heat was abruptly followed by heavy wind gusts and storms. Which kept everybody whinging for the next day or so.

Completely uninspired blipwise at the moment. I may yet change this photo for one that's equally uninspring.

Visitors arrived today; found them collapsed on the lounge floor in paroxyms of horror at the weather.