More could be discovered as 100 sensors are rolled out across Bendigo.

Citizen scientists are installing weather pods around the city and connecting them to help researchers and the public discover hotspots as the city wilts under a heatwave.

Temperatures had soared into the 40s and were expected to reach 45 degrees Friday, but data gathered by citizen scientists in recent months suggested it would be 47 degrees in Epsom and 46 in White Hills.

Epsom temperatures had consistently outdone official Bureau of Meteorology data by two degrees by day, La Trobe associate professor Simon Egerton said.

At night the area was cooler than the Bendigo Airport by 1.5 degrees, he said, while White Hills’ daytime temperatures were one degree hotter.

The data will help the City of Greater Bendigo tackle the health impacts of extreme heat as well as cold weather and humidity, innovation officer Chris Rowlands said.

“It will help us work out where we might be able to plant more trees, change our irrigation practices or discover where we could change things in the urban environment,” Mr Rowlands said.

“Heat impacts on the very young, the very old, the ill and everyone in the community in different ways.”

Related: Bendigo garbage trucks mapping internet of things signal strength

There were 12 pods already operating and the council was calling for more people to put one in their frontyard, backyard or place of business.

The project was made possible through emerging “internet of things” technology, which was similar to Wi-Fi but allowed signals to be carried over longer distances using devices that used very little power.

Members of the community interested in the Clever Weather Project can find out more by calling 5434 6155, or visiting www.bendigo.vic.gov.au/cleverweather

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