Australia has sweltered through its hottest day on record and temperatures are expected to soar even higher as heatwave conditions embrace most of the country.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the average temperature across the country of 40.9 degrees Celsius on Tuesday beat the record of 40.3 Celsius from January 7, 2013.
“This hot air mass is so extensive, the preliminary figures show that Tuesday was the hottest day on record in Australia, beating out the previous record from 2013 and this heat will only intensify,” bureau meteorologist Diana Eadie said.
The weather bureau says temperatures in southern and central Australia today may reach between 8 and 16 degrees higher than normal.
Yesterday, temperatures soared to 47.7 Celsius in Birdsville, Queensland, 46.9 Celsius in Mandora, Western Australia, and similar levels in southern and central Australia.
The highest temperature reliably recorded in any location in Australia was 50.7 Celsius in January 1960, at Oodnadatta, South Australia.
Cooler conditions are expected from tomorrow.
I am having a staycation and where I live it’s 27.9c., we are only 200 metres from the beach on the Fraser coast. Why would be any where else
We are at Port, 47 yesterday may get to 50 deg today.
6th day of over 40 deg.
Port,?? could be anywhere?
Oops! Port Augusta. (Seniors moment.
Yes, Port could be anywhere but that temperature range suggests to me that it is in SA.