Intense heatwave in central and eastern Australia

07/01/2014

A Special Climate Statement issued by the Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed record breaking temperatures associated with the widespread heatwave during late 2013 and early 2014.

Temperatures were well above-average over much of central and eastern Australia between 27 December 2013 and 4 January 2014.

Thirty-four (34) locations with 40 years or more of data, mostly in Queensland and New South Wales, recorded their hottest day on record between 30 December and 4 January.

A major feature of the heatwave was the very large margin by which some records were broken. Narrabri in New South Wales broke the previous record high temperature by 3.6C, the largest margin by which a long-term record has ever been broken.

Other significant climate statistics from this period include:

• Queensland’s hottest day on record on 3 January 2014 with a statewide average maximum of 41.82C.

• Moomba in the far northeast of South Australia recorded the highest temperature
of the event (49.3C) on 2 January 2014.

• Walgett's 49.1C on 3 January 2014 was the highest temperature in New South Wales since January 1939, and the third-highest on record in New South Wales.

• Major centres including Tamworth, Gunnedah, Moree, Glen Innes and Inverell
(New South Wales) and Toowoomba, Roma, Blackall, St. George and Gympie (Queensland) all experienced their hottest day on record.

The release of the Special Climate Statement comes after the Bureau released its
Annual Climate Statement 2013 on Friday which confirmed 2013 was Australia’s hottest year on record.

Go to Special Climate Statment for further information.