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Data as of 2026-10-18
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Built 2026-10-19 (19 October 2026)

Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017

Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017: 295 records at 144 stations, peak on 19 December 2017. Closed.

Data as of . Last revised (2026-10-18).

Key Facts

  • Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017 set or tied 295 station records at 144 stations.
  • It ran from 11 December 2017 to 21 December 2017 (11 days) and its peak day was 19 December 2017.
  • Status: closed.
  • Woomera Aerodrome set a monthly record high maximum temperature of 45.5 C (113.9 F) on 18 December 2017.
  • The busiest day was 19 December 2017 with 68 records.
  • The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 78 years.

Footprint

11 to 21 December 2017
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017 The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017 is outlined, with 18 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type.
The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017 is outlined, with 18 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017: stations that set records in the event
StationTypeValueDate
Woomera AerodromeRecord high maximum temperature45.5 C (113.9 F)2017-12-18
Williamtown RaafRecord high maximum temperature43.7 C (110.7 F)2017-12-20
Cape Otway LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature35.7 C (96.3 F)2017-12-13
Hobart AirportRecord high minimum temperature19.3 C (66.7 F)2017-12-14
Richmond RaafRecord high minimum temperature21.1 C (70.0 F)2017-12-19
Oodnadatta AirportRecord high maximum temperature47.1 C (116.8 F)2017-12-18
KyancuttaRecord high minimum temperature24.0 C (75.2 F)2017-12-18
Montague Island LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature32.9 C (91.2 F)2017-12-14
Cobar MoRecord high minimum temperature30.1 C (86.2 F)2017-12-19
Narooma RvcpRecord high maximum temperature34.5 C (94.1 F)2017-12-14
Laverton RaafRecord high minimum temperature20.2 C (68.4 F)2017-12-14
Oberon (Springbank)Record high minimum temperature18.0 C (64.4 F)2017-12-19
Wagga Wagga AMORecord high minimum temperature25.6 C (78.1 F)2017-12-19
Nyngan AirportRecord high minimum temperature29.0 C (84.2 F)2017-12-20
Murrurundi Post OfficeRecord high minimum temperature25.5 C (77.9 F)2017-12-20
Newcastle Nobbys Signal StatioRecord high maximum temperature39.9 C (103.8 F)2017-12-20
Scone ScsRecord high maximum temperature42.0 C (107.6 F)2017-12-20
Sydney (Observatory Hill)Record high minimum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)2017-12-20

Records per Day

Peak day 68
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017 Records set or tied each day from 11 December 2017 to 21 December 2017. The most in one day was 68 on 19 December 2017. 0 20 40 60 80 12-1112-1312-1412-1512-1612-1712-1812-1912-2012-21
Records set or tied each day from 11 December 2017 to 21 December 2017. The most in one day was 68 on 19 December 2017.
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017
DateRecords
2017-12-111
2017-12-1353
2017-12-1457
2017-12-1514
2017-12-165
2017-12-1713
2017-12-1829
2017-12-1968
2017-12-2048
2017-12-217

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced
Top records of Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017 ranked by margin
Oberon (Springbank), 12-194.4 C (7.9 F)
Hobart Airport, 12-144.3 C (7.7 F)
Scone Scs, 12-204.0 C (7.2 F)
Murrurundi Post Office, 12-203.8 C (6.8 F)
Montague Island Lighthouse, 12-143.3 C (5.9 F)
Narooma Rvcp, 12-143.1 C (5.6 F)
Laverton Raaf, 12-142.3 C (4.1 F)
Sydney (Observatory Hill), 12-202.0 C (3.6 F)
Cape Otway Lighthouse, 12-131.3 C (2.3 F)
Newcastle Nobbys Signal Statio, 12-201.3 C (2.3 F)
Oodnadatta Airport, 12-181.2 C (2.2 F)
Richmond Raaf, 12-191.1 C (2.0 F)
Kyancutta, 12-181.1 C (2.0 F)
Williamtown Raaf, 12-141.0 C (1.8 F)
Williamtown Raaf, 12-200.9 C (1.6 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 Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017 295 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 20 40 60 80 0.01.53.04.56.0 Margin (C) Years the old record stood
295 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 Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017
Margin (C)Years the old record stood
0.167
0.959
1.178
1.376
4.344
0.867
1.276
1.175
0.451
3.344
0.151
4.444
3.144
0.775
2.356
1.067
3.848
1.360
4.048
2.032
1.560
4.324
0.760
2.548
4.132
0.460
3.835
4.940
2.744
1.948
1.548
2.648
0.258
2.440
2.348
3.340
2.634
1.444
1.744
2.348
2.232
3.627
1.644
3.33
2.144
1.840
0.648
1.540
0.948
1.742
1.942
0.844
3.624
3.023
3.220
1.240
0.244
0.216
3.932
1.240
6.011
0.842
0.216
1.342
0.844
3.724
2.326
0.744
1.040
0.840
0.838
0.444
2.327
0.444
1.240
3.220
4.120
0.640
1.828
1.535
0.144
1.327
1.427
2.64
4.911
1.324
0.142
0.244
0.14
3.515
0.140
0.440
2.027
2.027
3.123
0.635
0.23
0.242
0.423
4.712
3.10
2.427
0.18
0.236
2.014
0.835
1.727
1.224
0.428
1.724
1.627
2.715
0.632
1.320
1.823
0.827
1.027
1.527
1.520
0.532
1.423
2.020
4.54
1.624
2.820
1.130
0.324
0.132
1.419
0.827
0.627
0.527
4.30
0.623
0.828
2.52
2.415
0.327
0.127
0.227
1.123
0.130
0.723
2.54
1.015
2.52
0.923
1.912
2.012
2.43
0.519
1.515
1.614
0.227
4.02
0.523
2.24
0.523
0.423
0.423
3.10
1.515
3.44
2.64
1.211
0.810
3.24
0.228
4.33
1.323
0.323
1.516
2.73
0.615
0.923
1.50
0.912
2.42
1.210
1.98
2.62
2.44
0.327
1.74
0.619
2.82
0.119
0.214
2.64
1.14
1.92
3.22
2.52
0.815
2.62
0.823
0.815
0.615
2.70
1.84

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event
Station records in Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017 compared with similar events
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 16 January to 14 February 20249,869 records
Heat wave in United States, 28 January to 24 February 20266,528 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 24 May to 19 June 20205,047 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 26 March to 17 April 20213,669 records
Heat wave in Germany and 49 other countries, 18 December 2021 to 15 January 20223,626 records
Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017 (this event)295 records

Every Record Set

20 of 295
Every record set or tied during Heat wave in Australia, 11 to 21 December 2017, in date order
DateStationRecordValueMarginYears stoodSignificance
2017-12-13Cape Otway LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature35.7 C (96.3 F)1.3 C (2.3 F)7634 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-14Hobart AirportRecord high minimum temperature19.3 C (66.7 F)4.3 C (7.7 F)4434 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-14Montague Island LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature32.9 C (91.2 F)3.3 C (5.9 F)4431 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-14Narooma RvcpRecord high maximum temperature34.5 C (94.1 F)3.1 C (5.6 F)4430 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-14Laverton RaafRecord high minimum temperature20.2 C (68.4 F)2.3 C (4.1 F)5630 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-14Williamtown RaafRecord high maximum temperature39.9 C (103.8 F)1.0 C (1.8 F)6729 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-18Woomera AerodromeRecord high maximum temperature45.5 C (113.9 F)0.1 C (0.2 F)6736 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-18Oodnadatta AirportRecord high maximum temperature47.1 C (116.8 F)1.2 C (2.2 F)7632 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-18KyancuttaRecord high minimum temperature24.0 C (75.2 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)7532 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-19Richmond RaafRecord high minimum temperature21.1 C (70.0 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)7834 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-19Cape Otway LighthouseRecord high minimum temperature19.7 C (67.5 F)0.8 C (1.4 F)6733 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-19Cobar MoRecord high minimum temperature30.1 C (86.2 F)0.4 C (0.7 F)5131 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-19Oberon (Springbank)Record high minimum temperature18.0 C (64.4 F)4.4 C (7.9 F)4430 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-19Wagga Wagga AMORecord high minimum temperature25.6 C (78.1 F)0.7 C (1.3 F)7530 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-20Williamtown RaafRecord high maximum temperature43.7 C (110.7 F)0.9 C (1.6 F)5935 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-20Nyngan AirportRecord high minimum temperature29.0 C (84.2 F)0.1 C (0.2 F)5130 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-20Murrurundi Post OfficeRecord high minimum temperature25.5 C (77.9 F)3.8 C (6.8 F)4828 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-20Newcastle Nobbys Signal StatioRecord high maximum temperature39.9 C (103.8 F)1.3 C (2.3 F)6027 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-20Scone ScsRecord high maximum temperature42.0 C (107.6 F)4.0 C (7.2 F)4827 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-20Sydney (Observatory Hill)Record high minimum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)2.0 C (3.6 F)3227 of 100 (Routine)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 295 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Download the Data

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 2026-10-18. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.