Sydney has experienced its hottest August day since 1995, as parts of Australia endure an exceptionally warm and windy end to winter.
The city’s weather station at Observatory Hill recorded a high of 30.3°C at 2:48 PM. This is just shy of the record August temperature of 31.3°C set in 1995. The warm trend is part of a broader pattern, with Australia likely facing its hottest August on record.
Forecasts for Sydney include continued hot and windy conditions throughout the weekend, with temperatures expected to remain in the mid-20s.
In Brisbane, the mercury soared to 29.8°C at midday, with temperatures projected to rise further to 32°C on Saturday and reach 34°C on Sunday and Monday.
Severe weather warnings issued as damaging winds and high fire risks threaten eastern New South Wales.Miriam Bradbury, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), noted that these figures are significantly above Brisbane’s August average of around 23°C.
Preliminary data indicates that August records have already been surpassed in several locations. Longreach hit 37.7°C, Birdsville 39.5°C, and Mount Isa Airport 36.6°C in Queensland, while in New South Wales, Bourke recorded 36.9°C and Sydney Airport reached 31.6°C.
The BoM has issued a severe weather warning for the southeast, forecasting damaging winds due to three cold fronts moving through South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and New South Wales. Meteorologist Jonathan How warned of high fire danger in eastern New South Wales over the weekend.
The weather is set to impact various regions with strong winds, rain, and potential thunderstorms. The BoM anticipates continued above-average temperatures into spring, with increased rainfall expected for Queensland, New South Wales, and the ACT, while Western Australia may see drier conditions.