Temperatures at the 2015 Australian Open aren’t expected to soar to the dizzy heights of last January’s heatwave but the tournament’s new heat policy will help in any case.
Organisers claim to have heat-proofed the event for spectators by completing the roof on Margaret Court Arena and adding shadecloths around backcourts.
Meteorologist Bob Leighton said his long-range forecast for the Open was a milder one than last year, with little or no rain.
“We’re expecting a slightly warm summer but this should result in about five days over 30 and perhaps one near 40,” he said.
“The heatwave situation will probably increase in further years but this summer I don’t think there will be one.”
The veteran weatherman was unruffled by the suggestion that such predictions more than a month away were largely guesswork.
“I’ve been with the bureau for 57 years, so if I don’t get a feel for it, I don’t know how you could,” he said.
For players, tournament director Craig Tiley said a new traffic light-themed “heat policy gauge” would help players understand whether their matches could be affected.
Green and amber lights would give way to red in extreme conditions.
“That’s when we’ll look at putting out the ice vests … and potentially be invoking the heat policy,” Tiley said.
Criticism of the hot weather policy plagued last year’s event during a four-day stretch of 40C-plus temperatures.
Tiley said the a combination of a wet globe bulb reading of 32.5C and an ambient air temperature of 40C would trigger the tournament referee to act and stop matches on outside courts.
“When those two happen, that’s when we’ll likely be invoking the heat policy if there’s going to be a sustainable period of ongoing heat,” he said.
“We felt this would take into consideration what’s best for the fans and what we believe is best for the playing group.”
With the completion of the third roofed stadium, the second undercover court Hisense Arena will be available to fans through the ground pass.
Margaret Court Arena will now be fully ticketed.
