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List of extreme temperatures in Australia

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List of extreme temperatures in Australia is located in Australia
Onslow
Onslow
Oodnadatta
Oodnadatta
Charlotte Pass
Charlotte Pass
Map of record temperatures

The highest temperature ever recorded in Australia is 50.7 °C (123.3 °F), which was recorded on 2 January 1960 at Oodnadatta, South Australia, and 13 January 2022 at Onslow, Western Australia. The lowest temperature ever recorded in Australia is −23.0 °C (−9.4 °F), at Charlotte Pass, New South Wales, on 29 June 1994.

Highest temperatures recorded in Australia

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Temperature[1] State or territory Location Date recorded
50.7 °C (123.3 °F) South Australia Oodnadatta 2 January 1960
Western Australia Onslow[2] 13 January 2022
50.5 °C (122.9 °F) Western Australia Mardie Station[2] 19 February 1998
13 January 2022
Roebourne[2] 13 January 2022
50.3 °C (122.5 °F) South Australia Oodnadatta 3 January 1960
50.1 °C (122.2 °F) New South Wales Wilcannia 11 January 1939
49.9 °C (121.8 °F) South Australia Nullarbor 19 December 2019
Western Australia Carnarvon 18 February 2024
49.8 °C (121.6 °F) Western Australia Mundrabilla Station 3 January 1979
Forrest 13 January 1979
Emu Creek Station 21 February 1998
Eucla 19 December 2019
Western Australia Shark Bay Airport 18 February 2024
49.7 °C (121.5 °F) New South Wales Menindee 10 January 1939
49.6 °C (121.3 °F) South Australia Moomba 12 January 2013
49.5 °C (121.1 °F) Queensland Birdsville 24 December 1972
South Australia Port Augusta 24 January 2019
Western Australia Forrest 19 December 2019
Roebourne 31 December 2023
49.4 °C (120.9 °F) Queensland Birdsville 25 January 2024
Western Australia Emu Creek Station 16 February 1998
South Australia Marree 2 January 1960
South Australia Whyalla 2 January 1960
49.3 °C (120.7 °F) Queensland Birdsville 24 December 2019
Western Australia Marble Bar 30 December 2023
Western Australia Geraldton Airport 18 February 2024
Western Australia Marble Bar 27 December 2018
South Australia Moomba 2 January 2014


It was previously thought that the highest temperature in Australia was 53.1 °C (127.6 °F) in Cloncurry, Queensland, on 16 January 1889. This record has been removed by the Bureau of Meteorology though as it was measured using a non-standard temperature screen. It is believed that the temperature that day was most likely about 47 °C (117 °F).[3][4][5]

Highest temperatures for each state and territory

[edit]
Temperature[6] State or territory Location Date recorded
50.7 °C (123.3 °F) South Australia Oodnadatta 2 January 1960
Western Australia Onslow[2] 13 January 2022
50.1 °C (122.2 °F) New South Wales[N 1] Wilcannia 11 January 1939
49.5 °C (121.1 °F) Queensland Birdsville 24 December 1972
48.8 °C (119.8 °F) Victoria Hopetoun 7 February 2009
48.3 °C (118.9 °F) Northern Territory Finke 1 January 1960
2 January 1960
42.2 °C (108.0 °F) Tasmania Scamander 30 January 2009

Lowest temperatures recorded in Australia

[edit]
Temperature[1] State or territory Location Date recorded
−23.0 °C (−9.4 °F) New South Wales Charlotte Pass 29 June 1994
−20.6 °C (−5.1 °F) 14 August 1968
−19.6 °C (−3.3 °F) 20 July 2010
−19.0 °C (−2.2 °F) 30 June 1994
1 July 1994
16 August 2004
−18.0 °C (−0.4 °F) Perisher Valley 29 June 1994
Charlotte Pass 12 July 1998
−17.8 °C (0.0 °F) Kiandra 8 July 1960
10 August 1965
21 July 1966

Lowest temperatures for each state and territory

[edit]
Temperature[6] State or territory Location Date recorded
−23.0 °C (−9.4 °F) New South Wales[N 1] Charlotte Pass 29 June 1994
−14.2 °C (6.4 °F) Tasmania Liawenee 7 August 2020
−11.7 °C (10.9 °F) Victoria Falls Creek 3 July 1970
Omeo 15 June 1965
−10.6 °C (12.9 °F) Queensland The Hermitage 12 July 1965
Stanthorpe 23 June 1961
−8.2 °C (17.2 °F) South Australia Yongala 20 July 1976
−7.5 °C (18.5 °F) Northern Territory Alice Springs 17 July 1976
−7.2 °C (19.0 °F) Western Australia Eyre Bird Observatory 17 August 2008

Miscellaneous records

[edit]
Record Temperature State or territory Location Date recorded
Highest average monthly maximum temperature[7] 41.5 °C (106.7 °F) Western Australia Marble Bar December
Longest hot spell[7] 160 days above 37.8 °C (100.0 °F) 31 October 1923

to 7 April 1924

Greatest diurnal temperature range[7] 6.8 °C (44.2 °F) to 44.2 °C (111.6 °F) Eyre Bird Observatory 5 March 2008
Greatest overall temperature range[7] −8.3 °C (17.1 °F) to 47.8 °C (118.0 °F) New South Wales Richmond
Highest Daily Minimum Temperature[8] 36.6 °C (97.9 °F) New South Wales Wanaaring 26 January 2019

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b Source combines New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory into one group.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Daily Extremes". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Birch, Laura (13 January 2022). "Onslow in the Pilbara reaches 50.7C, equalling Australia's hottest day on record". ABC News. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  3. ^ Townshend, Ian (24 December 2003). "Queensland to bake on Christmas Day". ABC News. Archived from the original on 4 November 2009.
  4. ^ Trewin, Blair (December 1997). "Another look at Australia's record high temperature" (PDF). Australian Meteorological Magazine. 46 (4): 251–256.
  5. ^ Smith, Bridie (14 September 2012). "Hottest temperature on earth revised". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Rainfall and Temperature Records". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b c d "Climatic Extremes". Geoscience Australia. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  8. ^ http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/extremes/daily_extremes.cgi?period=%2Fcgi-bin%2Fclimate%2Fextremes%2Fdaily_extremes.cgi&climtab=tmin_high&area=aus&year=2019&mon=1&day=26