Extreme heat and historic hot days in Australia
I have noticed in the thread "Frost and cold mornings 2008" some increasing discussion on historic hot days in Australia. I have decided to place my discussion as a new thread as it does not relate to cold mornings for 2008.
Cloncurry - Queensland:
Jimmy is correct to state that the highest ever temperature recorded in Australia of 53.1 Celsius at Cloncurry, Queensland (Actually on 16 January 1889) is no longer officially recognised. The reading appears to have been taken by a thermometer on a milk crate using incorrect means. I think it was taken under shade but it was an incorrect method of taking temperatures.
Furthermore, I have read that on that day, no other locality in that region approached this temperature.
Actually, this temperature has not been approached anywhere in Australia. Temperatures of 50 degrees or more are very rare here. They can occur in Australia but they are rare. Indeed, the last 50 degree day to occur in Australia that I am aware of occurred in early 1995 in South Australia.
Allot of the old extreme temperatures are being called into question too. There is a claim of 52.8 C at Bourke (New South Wales) on 17 January 1877 but how accurate is this?
A place called Oodnadatta in South Australia has a record of 50.7 C on 2 January 1960 and this seems to be fair and accurate.
There is also a claim of 50.8 C at Mildura (NW Victoria) on 6 January 1906 and 50.7 C at Eucla 22 January 1906. Not sure how accurate these are.
My book ""Extreme Weather" has allot of the world weather records and it states that the 53C or 128 F recorded on 16 January 1889 at Cloncurry is questionable and generally not viable as a record.
The same book sensibly provides the 123.3F (An American book) at Oodnadatta South Australia as having the highest maximum temperature held by an Australian town.
Marble Bar:
Marble Bar in North West Western Australia does hold two weather records for Australia for heat being:-
a) The most number of days being 161 consecutive days above 100 F or 37.8 Celsius recorded I think in 1921 / 1922 (I need to check the date).
b) Australia's hottest summer locality in which temperatures average 104 F or just on 40 C during the months of December to January.
Wyndam
Research done here to 1996 over a 20 year period shows that Wyndam in NW Western Australia had an average maximum temperature of 35.7 C (96.3F).
Even then these pale on the world stage especially when compared to:-
Death Valley (California):
I have recently found out that the 134 F or 57.1 Celsius on July 10 1913 may not be accurate here either given that the condition of the thermometer is not known and sand may have got into the thermometer as a sand storm was occurring at the time of the observation.
A recorded temperature of 129 F or recorded in July 1960, July 1998 and July 2005 appears to be the highest true maximum temperature recorded here.
This locality does hold an interesting record of 43 consecutive days in a row of 120 F recorded between July 6 and August 17, 1917 that still stands.
Al Aziziyah - Libya:
The claim of 136 F or 57.8 C here on September 13, 1922 located 32 km south of Tripoli is also brought into question much like the Australian counterpart.
As my book "Extreme Weather" highlights, all temperatures above 130 F are disputed because thermometers may have been improperly exposed.
Harley Pearman
