Built 2026-10-19 (19 October 2026)

Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021

Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021: 140 records at 86 stations, peak on 15 March 2021. Closed.

Data as of . Last revised (2026-10-17).

Key Facts

  • Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021 set or tied 140 station records at 86 stations.
  • It ran from 12 March 2021 to 24 March 2021 (13 days) and its peak day was 15 March 2021.
  • Status: closed.
  • Adelaide West Terrace set a daily record low minimum temperature of 9.4 C (48.9 F) on 15 March 2021.
  • The busiest day was 15 March 2021 with 30 records.
  • The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 112 years.

Footprint

12 to 24 March 2021
Footprint of Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021 The area covered by Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021 is outlined, with 15 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type.
The area covered by Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021 is outlined, with 15 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.
Footprint of Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021: stations that set records in the event
StationTypeValueDate
Adelaide West TerraceRecord low minimum temperature9.4 C (48.9 F)2021-03-15
Archerfield AirportRecord low maximum temperature23.1 C (73.6 F)2021-03-22
Amberley AMORecord low maximum temperature22.3 C (72.1 F)2021-03-22
Injune Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature23.1 C (73.6 F)2021-03-15
Moruya Heads Pilot StationRecord low maximum temperature16.5 C (61.7 F)2021-03-14
SuratRecord low maximum temperature18.3 C (64.9 F)2021-03-16
Taroom Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature22.8 C (73.0 F)2021-03-17
Mitchell Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature21.9 C (71.4 F)2021-03-17
Springsure Comet StRecord low maximum temperature23.8 C (74.8 F)2021-03-17
Bundaberg AeroRecord low maximum temperature22.5 C (72.5 F)2021-03-17
Brisbane AeroRecord low maximum temperature23.8 C (74.8 F)2021-03-22
Tambo Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature22.0 C (71.6 F)2021-03-15
Stanthorpe Leslie ParadeRecord low maximum temperature17.0 C (62.6 F)2021-03-16
Cunnamulla Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)2021-03-14
Bollon Mary StRecord low maximum temperature25.5 C (77.9 F)2021-03-18

Records per Day

Peak day 30
Records per day during Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021 Records set or tied each day from 12 March 2021 to 24 March 2021. The most in one day was 30 on 15 March 2021. 0 8 15 23 30 03-1203-1403-1603-1803-2003-2203-24
Records set or tied each day from 12 March 2021 to 24 March 2021. The most in one day was 30 on 15 March 2021.
Records per day during Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021
DateRecords
2021-03-122
2021-03-131
2021-03-1418
2021-03-1530
2021-03-1620
2021-03-1730
2021-03-186
2021-03-194
2021-03-202
2021-03-212
2021-03-2221
2021-03-233
2021-03-241

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced
Top records of Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021 ranked by margin
Injune Post Office, 03-174.8 C (8.6 F)
Injune Post Office, 03-164.8 C (8.6 F)
Injune Post Office, 03-154.7 C (8.5 F)
Surat, 03-174.6 C (8.3 F)
Mitchell Post Office, 03-154.3 C (7.7 F)
Springsure Comet St, 03-174.2 C (7.6 F)
Mitchell Post Office, 03-174.2 C (7.6 F)
Tambo Post Office, 03-153.0 C (5.4 F)
Archerfield Airport, 03-173.0 C (5.4 F)
Taroom Post Office, 03-172.8 C (5.0 F)
Bollon Mary St, 03-182.3 C (4.1 F)
Amberley AMO, 03-222.0 C (3.6 F)
Cunnamulla Post Office, 03-142.0 C (3.6 F)
Stanthorpe Leslie Parade, 03-161.9 C (3.4 F)
Bundaberg Aero, 03-171.7 C (3.1 F)

Margin is how far the new value is beyond the record it replaced. Ties are not shown.

Margin Against Age of the Broken Record

Margin against age of the broken record in Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021 140 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right. 0 30 60 90 120 0.01.32.53.85.0 Margin (C) Years the old record stood
140 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right.
Margin against age of the broken record in Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021
Margin (C)Years the old record stood
0.3112
2.072
1.574
4.854
4.754
0.657
0.160
2.863
4.244
4.252
1.754
1.064
3.051
1.963
3.032
2.358
2.060
4.832
4.336
4.632
1.251
2.744
2.428
3.042
2.844
3.936
2.343
2.428
2.548
4.632
0.163
0.260
1.552
1.848
2.342
0.852
1.546
1.448
1.944
0.358
1.051
1.047
0.251
0.448
1.444
0.744
0.448
0.251
1.532
0.842
0.348
0.740
0.248
2.132
2.032
0.827
0.144
0.939
0.144
1.236
1.732
0.340
0.528
0.728
2.224
3.58
1.232
2.220
1.032
2.620
1.432
2.820
0.727
0.836
0.140
0.936
0.932
0.532
0.432
0.732
3.28
1.822
1.920
2.124
0.532
0.327
1.320
1.320
1.220
0.220
1.427
1.127
0.127
0.820
2.70
0.428
0.820
0.820
1.122
1.12
0.915
0.522
1.016
1.222
0.712
0.124
1.44
1.38
1.011
0.616
0.227
1.616
1.316
0.815
0.524
2.00
0.915
0.116
0.720
0.220
0.215
2.02
0.116
1.016
0.66
1.20
0.48
2.20
0.416
0.78
0.212
0.67
1.00
0.30
0.40
0.52
0.52
0.30
0.10
0.32

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event
Station records in Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021 compared with similar events
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 6 February to 5 March 202112,118 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 13 October to 5 November 20209,841 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 23 December 2017 to 8 January 20188,263 records
Cold outbreak in United States and Mexico, 3 to 23 January 20247,675 records
Cold outbreak in United States, 15 January to 10 February 20265,568 records
Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021 (this event)140 records

Every Record Set

20 of 140
Every record set or tied during Cold outbreak in Australia, 12 to 24 March 2021, in date order
DateStationRecordValueMarginYears stoodSignificance
2021-03-14Moruya Heads Pilot StationRecord low maximum temperature16.5 C (61.7 F)0.1 C (0.2 F)6034 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-14Cunnamulla Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)2.0 C (3.6 F)6029 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-15Adelaide West TerraceRecord low minimum temperature9.4 C (48.9 F)0.3 C (0.5 F)11240 of 100 (Notable)
2021-03-15Injune Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature23.1 C (73.6 F)4.7 C (8.5 F)5435 of 100 (Notable)
2021-03-15Tambo Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature22.0 C (71.6 F)3.0 C (5.4 F)5130 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-15Mitchell Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature23.7 C (74.7 F)4.3 C (7.7 F)3628 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-16SuratRecord low maximum temperature18.3 C (64.9 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)5734 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-16Stanthorpe Leslie ParadeRecord low maximum temperature17.0 C (62.6 F)1.9 C (3.4 F)6330 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-16Injune Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature21.2 C (70.2 F)4.8 C (8.6 F)3228 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-17Injune Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature21.3 C (70.3 F)4.8 C (8.6 F)5435 of 100 (Notable)
2021-03-17Taroom Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature22.8 C (73.0 F)2.8 C (5.0 F)6333 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-17Springsure Comet StRecord low maximum temperature23.8 C (74.8 F)4.2 C (7.6 F)4432 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-17Mitchell Post OfficeRecord low maximum temperature21.9 C (71.4 F)4.2 C (7.6 F)5232 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-17Bundaberg AeroRecord low maximum temperature22.5 C (72.5 F)1.7 C (3.1 F)5431 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-17Archerfield AirportRecord low maximum temperature21.7 C (71.1 F)3.0 C (5.4 F)3229 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-17SuratRecord low maximum temperature20.4 C (68.7 F)4.6 C (8.3 F)3228 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-18Bollon Mary StRecord low maximum temperature25.5 C (77.9 F)2.3 C (4.1 F)5829 of 100 (Routine)
2021-03-22Amberley AMORecord low maximum temperature22.3 C (72.1 F)2.0 C (3.6 F)7236 of 100 (Notable)
2021-03-22Archerfield AirportRecord low maximum temperature23.1 C (73.6 F)1.5 C (2.7 F)7436 of 100 (Notable)
2021-03-22Brisbane AeroRecord low maximum temperature23.8 C (74.8 F)1.0 C (1.8 F)6431 of 100 (Routine)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 140 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

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Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-17. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.