Bushfire warning: Tasmania faces dangerous conditions despite morning cloud and rain
Updated
Tasmanians are being urged to remain on alert as the state faces dangerous bushfire conditions despite overcast conditions across the state on Saturday morning.
The temperature in Hobart reached 31 degrees Celsius just after midday on Saturday, before rising to a high of 36C and settling back at 33C.
Cloud started to drift away by about 1:00pm, and returned sporadically during the afternoon, settling over Hobart by 3:00pm.
Deputy State Fire control officer Shane Batt said with strong winds and storms forecast for the afternoon, the main areas of concern were King Island, the east coast, the Midlands and the Upper Derwent Valley.
"It's still a large concern, the cloud cover this morning was heavier that what was predicted, but that will eventually burn off, then we are expecting the high fire dangers that were forecast yesterday [to eventuate]," he said.
"We are not expecting too many lightning strikes to hit the state [this afternoon].
"Hopefully they will break up before they get to this far, but certainly areas like King Island are suffering from very high dangers at the moment, as are the east coast, the Midlands, and the Upper Derwent Valley and south-east Tasmania."
The weather bureau said mid-afternoon cloud coverage was actually building over the west of the state, and that the cloud build up would generally come and go locally, and then settle over many areas.
The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) earlier warned of dangerous bushfire conditions and said Tasmanians should not be deceived by the widespread cloud, rain and drizzle.
Total fire bans are in place for the state's northern and southern regions, as well as for King Island.
Tasmania Police is also keeping watch on known firebugs across the state, and have urged people to alert them to any dodgy activity.
The bureau has warned a hot northerly flow will develop across the state with a trough crossing in the afternoon, followed by a cold front late on Saturday night.
TFS has 230 brigades and extra fire-fighting aircraft on standby and has urged everyone to be prepared for the conditions and know their bushfire plans, including places of safety and evacuation routes.
TFS state operations manager Greg Butters said people needed to know what to do should the worst happen.
"This rain won't do much to help us with the hot, dry and windy weather this afternoon, as that will soon dry off, and we will be in the very high and severe fire danger ratings," he said.
"It's really important people have a plan, and if it's an emergency warning it's too late to leave, we would expect people to be aware of their surroundings and be vigilant."
The weekend bushfire warnings and bans come near the anniversary of the Dunalley Bushfires in 2013.
In early January 2013 during a heatwave across Australia, a large bushfire broke out at near Dunalley, east of Hobart.
On January 5, a massive inferno destroyed 65 properties at Dunalley, including a police station, primary school and bakery. No-one was killed.
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