Australia has broken a winter temperature record, with temperatures in the Kimberley region exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
The hottest spot was Yampi Sound, which reached 41.6°C on Monday afternoon, breaking the previous Australian winter high of 41.2°C set in August 2020 at West Roebuck.
Unseasonal heat spread across northern Australia, pushing temperatures more than 11°C above normal in some places, like Roma in southern Queensland. The heat wave also led to a new South Australian record on Saturday, with Oodnadatta hitting 39.4°C.
The hot air mass is expected to move east, with parts of the Kimberley possibly exceeding 40°C again on Tuesday and Wednesday. Cities like Alice Springs, Sydney, Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, and Brisbane are all forecasted to experience near-record temperatures later this week.
This unusual winter heat is due to fewer cold fronts from the Southern Ocean, allowing a hot air mass to build over northern Australia. Climate change is also enhancing this heat, making record temperatures more likely.
Meanwhile, southern states are bracing for strong winds. Destructive gusts over 125 kilometers per hour are expected in Tasmania and Victoria on Tuesday, with dangerous winds spreading to eastern New South Wales on Wednesday. These wild winds are caused by a significant temperature difference between the warm air mass over Australia and the cold polar air in the Southern Ocean, creating powerful gales.
