Australia is experiencing an unprecedented winter heatwave, with temperatures in the Kimberley region surpassing 40 degrees Celsius, setting a new national winter record.
The weather station at Yampi Sound recorded an astonishing 41.6°C, breaking the previous high of 41.2°C set in August 2020. Other parts of the Kimberley, including Wyndham, Derby, and Kununurra, also saw temperatures above 40°C, marking a significant deviation from typical winter conditions.
This extreme heat is not confined to the Kimberley. Across the Northern Territory, Bradshaw reached 40.0°C, potentially setting a new winter record for the region.
Southern Queensland also experienced abnormal warmth, with temperatures in Roma peaking at 34°C, a full 11°C above the average for August.
The unusual heatwave is attributed to a combination of factors, including a lack of cold fronts from the Southern Ocean and the influence of climate change, which has intensified the already warm air mass.
As this hot air mass moves across Australia, more temperature records are likely to be broken, with parts of New South Wales and Queensland expected to experience near-record highs in the coming days.
Destructive Winds Accompany Unseasonable Heat
While northern Australia bakes under record temperatures, southern states are bracing for powerful westerly winds.
These gusts, driven by the sharp temperature contrast between the warm air mass and the colder polar air from the Southern Ocean, could reach speeds of up to 125 kph, equivalent to a category two tropical cyclone.
Source abc.net