Australia heatwave and is on the brink of experiencing its hottest August ever, as a climate change-driven “heat engine” transforms what should be winter into a summer-like scorcher. This phenomenon, centered in the nation’s red heart, is set to push temperatures to extraordinary highs, threatening to shatter longstanding records across the country.
Meteorologist Ben Domensino from Weatherzone explains that this “heat engine” is powered by clear skies and high-pressure systems, which are expected to drive maximum temperatures towards an astonishing 40°C in parts of northern South Australia, southern Northern Territory, and western New South Wales—more than 10°C above the seasonal average.
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Australia Weather that The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has forecasted that 2024’s winter could become Australia’s fifth-warmest on record, with multiple locations poised to break their August temperature records. Across the country, temperatures are rising earlier and more intensely than usual, pushing monthly averages well above long-term means.
In South Australia, the northern town of Oodnadatta is on course to break winter records, with temperatures expected to hit 38°C on Friday and soar to 39°C on Saturday. These figures represent a staggering 15°C above the region’s average for this time of year.
The east coast is also in for an unseasonably warm spell, with Melbourne set to reach 23°C and Sydney climbing to 26°C on Sunday—both about 8°C warmer than their usual August temperatures. Sydney has already logged its 15th consecutive night with minimum temperatures above 10°C, marking the longest such streak in winter since 1967, with more warm nights predicted for the coming week.
Meanwhile, Brisbane is bracing for its hottest days of the month, with the BoM forecasting a string of days above 30°C starting Monday.
@ECMWF forecasting above-average temperatures for Australia’s last week of August by up to 10C in central NT/Qld and 6C across east coast and much of country pic.twitter.com/xnEx8v0UZX
— Luca (@IttimaniL) August 22, 2024
Other potential record-breakers include Mildura in Victoria, which could reach 29°C on Sunday, close to the state’s winter high of 29.9°C, and Birdsville in Queensland, where temperatures are expected to approach the state record of 38.5°C over the weekend.
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According to Professor Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, a climate researcher at the Australian National University and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, this unusual heat buildup, typical of spring and summer, is occurring much earlier and more intensely due to global warming, effectively shortening Australia’s winter.
This intense Australia heatwave is not just an anomaly but a glaring reminder of the ongoing climate crisis, bringing into sharp focus the urgent need for climate action as the nation endures a winter that feels increasingly like summer.
