Australia’s weather map turned black while displaying the heatwave the country recently experienced, with temperatures hitting more than 42C.
Extreme weather peaked yesterday (January 18), with the heat breaking an Australian record when Noona, in western New South Wales, recorded a minimum overnight temperature of 35.9C on Thursday (January 17).
Penrith has seen temperatures hit 45C, while Menindee hasn’t seen a maximum temperature below 45C since Monday, and even reached a staggering 47C earlier this week, The Guardian report.
Rebecca Farr, a forecaster for the Bureau of Meteorology, explained how both Australia’s capital Canberra and Broken Hill in New South Wales, were set to break records for the longest stretch of over-40C days since records began:
For Canberra, today we are forecasting 40C and, if we reach that, it will be the the first time on record that we will have four consecutive days of 40C or more.
Broken Hill is forecast to hit four consecutive days of 45C, and that also hasn’t happened before. Records there started in 1957.
The temperatures were so staggering, the weather map turned an angry, dark red, even black in some areas.
Take a look:
The Bureau of Meteorology has encouraged people to stay aware of the dangers of heatwaves, tweeting:
Australia has a new heat record! Overnight, #Noona in the #NSW west recorded a 35.9C MINIMUM temperature. It’s the latest in a series of broken records in this #heatwave. [sic]
Heatwaves are dangerous – stay hydrated & look out for others! [sic]
According to The Sun, on Thursday, a total of 27 locations across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory endured sweltering record maximum temperatures.
The heat has caused roads in the country to start melting, and wildlife has been suffering in the blisteringly hot weather.
Thankfully, residents will have some relief from the heat this weekend, but the drop in temperatures won’t last for long.
News.com.au report Sky News Weather channel meteorologist Rob Sharpe said:
On Friday, when the cool change sweeps across South Australia and Victoria, temperatures will drop markedly.
On Sunday, over in [Western Australia], that heat will only just be starting to ramp up in Perth and the inland areas of Australia.
On Tuesday, that heat starts flooding straight back into the southeast.
Hopefully everyone in Australia has been able to stay safe in the intense heat!
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Emily Brown first began delivering important news stories aged just 13, when she launched her career with a paper round. She graduated with a BA Hons in English Language in the Media from Lancaster University, and went on to become a freelance writer and blogger. Emily contributed to The Sunday Times Travel Magazine and Student Problems before becoming a journalist at UNILAD, where she works on breaking news as well as longer form features.