Australia beats hottest day record by full degree
Australia set a record for its hottest day ever for a second straight day, with an average national temperature of 41.9 degrees Celsius (107.4 Fahrenheit), a full degree higher than the previous mark, officials said Thursday.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the new nationally averaged maximum was reached Wednesday, topping the 40.9 degrees hit Tuesday, which beat the previous record of 40.3 C in January 2013.
The heatwave has exacerbated an unprecedented, drought-fueled series of bushfires ravaging large areas of Australia.
Based on preliminary analysis, yesterday, Australia recorded its hottest day on record. The nationally-averaged maximum daytime temp was 41.9 °C exceeding the record set on Tuesday, 40.9 ºC. You can view the top ten highest daily maximum temps here: https://t.co/Cdqm9vD1cI pic.twitter.com/DRDK9LAvrg
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) December 19, 2019
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Record spot temperatures were recorded this week in Western Australia, where firefighters have also been battling blazes raging across thousands of hectares (acres) of land. The hot weather is drifting across the country's arid centre toward the east. Parts of New South Wales are forecast to reach the mid-40s celsius (around 110 Fahrenheit) on Thursday.