The hottest temperature ever recorded in Australia was 50.7C at Oodnadatta Airport in South Australia in January 1960. In Onslow, Western Australia, 50.7C (123.26F) was reported by a remote town near the coast on Thursday 13 January 2022 and matched its hottest day on the record set in 1962.
It should also be noted that large bushfires were reported in Western Australia last month. More than 6,000 hectares of land were affected due to one fire that broke out near Margaret River. The Bureau of Meteorology also confirmed that Onslow equaled the record at 14:26 local time (22:26 GMT).
In two other towns, Mardie and Roebourne, more than 50C were reported on Thursday. According to Luke Huntington of the Bureau of Meteorology, hot air has build-up in the region due to the scarcity of thunderstorms. He told the people to take extra care and stay indoors with air conditioning, or if they have to be outdoors, remain in the shade and stay hydrated.
Mark Barratt, a resident in Roeburn, told ABC News that temperatures have gotten so high that their office’s air conditioning had stopped working. The record-breaking heat comes only days after a report from the EU’s satellite system affirmed that the past seven years have been the most sweltering on record. Due to human-prompted environmental change, heatwaves are becoming almost certain and more extreme.
