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Built 2026-10-19 (19 October 2026)

Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018

Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018: 152 records at 102 stations, peak on 28 December 2017. Closed.

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

Key Facts

  • Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 set or tied 152 station records at 102 stations.
  • It ran from 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 (12 days) and its peak day was 28 December 2017.
  • Status: closed.
  • Hobart (Ellerslie Road) set a daily record high minimum temperature of 20.0 C (68.0 F) on 28 December 2017.
  • The busiest day was 28 December 2017 with 44 records.
  • The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 122 years.

Footprint

27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 is outlined, with 17 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type.
The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 is outlined, with 17 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018: stations that set records in the event
StationTypeValueDate
Hobart (Ellerslie Road)Record high minimum temperature20.0 C (68.0 F)2017-12-28
PalmervilleRecord high maximum temperature40.4 C (104.7 F)2017-12-31
Laverton RaafRecord high minimum temperature23.1 C (73.6 F)2017-12-28
Menindee Post OfficeRecord high minimum temperature30.0 C (86.0 F)2017-12-29
InnisfailRecord high minimum temperature26.8 C (80.2 F)2018-01-04
Wilsons Promontory LighthouseRecord high minimum temperature20.2 C (68.4 F)2017-12-28
Essendon AirportRecord high minimum temperature23.0 C (73.4 F)2017-12-28
KyancuttaRecord high minimum temperature24.4 C (75.9 F)2017-12-27
Bollon Mary StRecord high minimum temperature30.0 C (86.0 F)2017-12-30
Kowanyama AirportRecord high maximum temperature39.1 C (102.4 F)2017-12-29
Rockhampton AeroRecord high minimum temperature25.4 C (77.7 F)2017-12-31
Ingham CompositeRecord high maximum temperature40.8 C (105.4 F)2018-01-03
Mackay AeroRecord high minimum temperature27.9 C (82.2 F)2018-01-05
Parafield AirportRecord high minimum temperature24.8 C (76.6 F)2017-12-27
Bombala (Therry Street)Record high minimum temperature17.5 C (63.5 F)2017-12-29
Cape Moreton LighthouseRecord high minimum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)2017-12-31
Mackay M.ORecord high maximum temperature37.6 C (99.7 F)2018-01-03

Records per Day

Peak day 44
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 Records set or tied each day from 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018. The most in one day was 44 on 28 December 2017. 0 13 25 38 50 12-2712-2912-3101-0201-0401-06
Records set or tied each day from 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018. The most in one day was 44 on 28 December 2017.
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018
DateRecords
2017-12-2729
2017-12-2844
2017-12-2919
2017-12-3012
2017-12-3112
2018-01-018
2018-01-029
2018-01-0312
2018-01-043
2018-01-052
2018-01-061
2018-01-071

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced
Top records of Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 ranked by margin
Menindee Post Office, 12-295.0 C (9.0 F)
Laverton Raaf, 12-283.5 C (6.3 F)
Bombala (Therry Street), 12-292.6 C (4.7 F)
Ingham Composite, 01-032.5 C (4.5 F)
Essendon Airport, 12-282.2 C (4.0 F)
Bollon Mary St, 12-302.2 C (4.0 F)
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse, 12-281.9 C (3.4 F)
Kowanyama Airport, 12-291.9 C (3.4 F)
Hobart (Ellerslie Road), 12-281.7 C (3.1 F)
Innisfail, 01-041.4 C (2.5 F)
Palmerville, 01-010.8 C (1.4 F)
Palmerville, 01-020.7 C (1.3 F)
Kyancutta, 12-270.7 C (1.3 F)
Palmerville, 12-310.6 C (1.1 F)
Parafield Airport, 12-270.6 C (1.1 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 Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 152 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 38 75 113 150 0.02.04.06.08.0 Margin (C) Years the old record stood
152 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, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018
Margin (C)Years the old record stood
1.7122
0.6117
5.056
3.556
1.455
0.754
1.956
2.256
0.768
0.854
2.260
0.260
1.951
2.547
0.50
0.171
0.666
0.433
0.236
2.651
0.650
1.647
0.950
0.660
0.956
2.124
1.054
4.612
3.144
0.946
1.047
1.540
3.412
1.142
0.354
2.140
1.352
0.556
0.831
0.551
1.326
1.151
0.951
1.551
0.656
2.344
3.238
2.015
0.252
0.452
0.452
0.724
1.536
0.442
1.238
0.626
0.632
1.319
1.332
2.236
0.142
6.610
0.240
2.44
2.323
2.123
1.614
0.635
0.624
0.236
0.527
0.735
1.427
0.638
1.038
3.023
1.618
1.24
0.135
1.326
0.135
1.812
2.812
0.624
1.112
1.44
1.116
1.126
3.70
1.318
0.226
0.427
2.812
1.212
1.323
0.611
1.40
1.54
0.224
1.015
0.326
2.60
1.66
0.226
0.912
0.712
0.90
0.915
0.512
2.812
2.24
0.212
1.00
1.20
2.512
0.126
1.612
0.812
1.512
0.912
0.115
0.44
2.20
0.54
0.512
0.54
0.54
0.54
0.34
0.24
0.44
0.80
1.40
0.712
0.112
0.212
0.30
1.10
0.80
1.30
0.412
0.30
0.38
0.212
0.60
0.50
0.10
0.20
0.40
0.30
0.60
0.30

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event
Station records in Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 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, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018 (this event)152 records

Every Record Set

20 of 152
Every record set or tied during Heat wave in Australia, 27 December 2017 to 7 January 2018, in date order
DateStationRecordValueMarginYears stoodSignificance
2017-12-27KyancuttaRecord high minimum temperature24.4 C (75.9 F)0.7 C (1.3 F)6829 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-27Parafield AirportRecord high minimum temperature24.8 C (76.6 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)6627 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-28Hobart (Ellerslie Road)Record high minimum temperature20.0 C (68.0 F)1.7 C (3.1 F)12246 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-28Laverton RaafRecord high minimum temperature23.1 C (73.6 F)3.5 C (6.3 F)5634 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-28Wilsons Promontory LighthouseRecord high minimum temperature20.2 C (68.4 F)1.9 C (3.4 F)5630 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-28Essendon AirportRecord high minimum temperature23.0 C (73.4 F)2.2 C (4.0 F)5630 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-28PalmervilleRecord high maximum temperature39.1 C (102.4 F)0.2 C (0.4 F)6028 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-29Menindee Post OfficeRecord high minimum temperature30.0 C (86.0 F)5.0 C (9.0 F)5634 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-29Kowanyama AirportRecord high maximum temperature39.1 C (102.4 F)1.9 C (3.4 F)5128 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-29Bombala (Therry Street)Record high minimum temperature17.5 C (63.5 F)2.6 C (4.7 F)5127 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-30Bollon Mary StRecord high minimum temperature30.0 C (86.0 F)2.2 C (4.0 F)6029 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-31PalmervilleRecord high maximum temperature40.4 C (104.7 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)11742 of 100 (Notable)
2017-12-31Rockhampton AeroRecord high minimum temperature25.4 C (77.7 F)0.1 C (0.2 F)7128 of 100 (Routine)
2017-12-31Cape Moreton LighthouseRecord high minimum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)0.2 C (0.4 F)3627 of 100 (Routine)
2018-01-01PalmervilleRecord high maximum temperature39.1 C (102.4 F)0.8 C (1.4 F)5429 of 100 (Routine)
2018-01-02PalmervilleRecord high minimum temperature26.8 C (80.2 F)0.7 C (1.3 F)5430 of 100 (Routine)
2018-01-03Ingham CompositeRecord high maximum temperature40.8 C (105.4 F)2.5 C (4.5 F)4728 of 100 (Routine)
2018-01-03Mackay M.ORecord high maximum temperature37.6 C (99.7 F)0.4 C (0.7 F)3327 of 100 (Routine)
2018-01-04InnisfailRecord high minimum temperature26.8 C (80.2 F)1.4 C (2.5 F)5532 of 100 (Routine)
2018-01-05Mackay AeroRecord high minimum temperature27.9 C (82.2 F)0.5 C (0.9 F)028 of 100 (Routine)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 152 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 2026-10-17. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.