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Built 2026-10-19 (19 October 2026)

Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020

Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020: 115 records at 40 stations, peak on 17 February 2020. Closed.

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

Key Facts

  • Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020 set or tied 115 station records at 40 stations.
  • It ran from 9 February 2020 to 22 February 2020 (14 days) and its peak day was 17 February 2020.
  • Status: closed.
  • South Johnstone Exp STN set a daily record high maximum temperature of 39.3 C (102.7 F) on 15 February 2020.
  • The busiest day was 17 February 2020 with 19 records.
  • The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 84 years.

Footprint

9 to 22 February 2020
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020 The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020 is outlined, with 15 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type.
The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020 is outlined, with 15 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020: stations that set records in the event
StationTypeValueDate
South Johnstone Exp STNRecord high maximum temperature39.3 C (102.7 F)2020-02-15
Cairns Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature36.0 C (96.8 F)2020-02-17
Mackay AeroRecord high minimum temperature27.0 C (80.6 F)2020-02-12
InnisfailRecord high maximum temperature39.2 C (102.6 F)2020-02-15
Townsville AeroRecord high minimum temperature29.1 C (84.4 F)2020-02-16
PalmervilleRecord high minimum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)2020-02-11
Ayr Dpi Research STNRecord high minimum temperature26.5 C (79.7 F)2020-02-12
Lady Elliot IslandRecord high minimum temperature27.5 C (81.5 F)2020-02-20
Mackay M.ORecord high minimum temperature27.3 C (81.1 F)2020-02-17
Cairns AeroRecord high maximum temperature39.1 C (102.4 F)2020-02-13
Lockhart River AirportRecord high minimum temperature27.4 C (81.3 F)2020-02-15
Yamba Pilot StationRecord high maximum temperature36.4 C (97.5 F)2020-02-19
Lucinda PointRecord high maximum temperature35.4 C (95.7 F)2020-02-15
Double Island Point LighthouseRecord high minimum temperature25.4 C (77.7 F)2020-02-17
Low Isles LighthouseRecord high minimum temperature29.2 C (84.6 F)2020-02-16

Records per Day

Peak day 19
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020 Records set or tied each day from 9 February 2020 to 22 February 2020. The most in one day was 19 on 17 February 2020. 0 5 10 15 20 02-0902-1102-1302-1502-1702-1902-21
Records set or tied each day from 9 February 2020 to 22 February 2020. The most in one day was 19 on 17 February 2020.
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020
DateRecords
2020-02-093
2020-02-104
2020-02-113
2020-02-129
2020-02-136
2020-02-145
2020-02-1515
2020-02-1616
2020-02-1719
2020-02-1810
2020-02-1910
2020-02-2010
2020-02-212
2020-02-223

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced
Top records of Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020 ranked by margin
South Johnstone Exp STN, 02-154.9 C (8.8 F)
Innisfail, 02-154.2 C (7.6 F)
Townsville Aero, 02-161.9 C (3.4 F)
Lucinda Point, 02-151.8 C (3.2 F)
Innisfail, 02-161.5 C (2.7 F)
Mackay Aero, 02-121.4 C (2.5 F)
Lockhart River Airport, 02-151.4 C (2.5 F)
Yamba Pilot Station, 02-191.4 C (2.5 F)
Ayr Dpi Research STN, 02-121.3 C (2.3 F)
Mackay M.O, 02-171.2 C (2.2 F)
Low Isles Lighthouse, 02-161.2 C (2.2 F)
Cairns Aero, 02-131.0 C (1.8 F)
Mackay M.O, 02-101.0 C (1.8 F)
Lady Elliot Island, 02-200.8 C (1.4 F)
Double Island Point Lighthouse, 02-170.8 C (1.4 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, 9 to 22 February 2020 115 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 25 50 75 100 0.01.32.53.85.0 Margin (C) Years the old record stood
115 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, 9 to 22 February 2020
Margin (C)Years the old record stood
4.948
0.284
1.462
4.228
1.938
0.262
1.346
0.861
1.252
1.050
1.428
1.45
1.838
0.846
1.538
0.646
1.038
0.550
1.228
0.538
0.248
1.436
0.538
1.124
1.929
0.240
0.538
0.150
0.928
0.924
1.028
1.038
1.228
0.50
2.04
1.028
1.721
1.013
0.914
1.210
0.440
0.438
0.928
1.210
0.528
0.634
0.138
0.328
0.429
0.138
0.721
0.437
1.11
0.521
0.612
1.09
0.716
0.90
1.50
0.528
0.124
0.417
1.49
0.128
0.910
0.69
1.04
1.416
1.21
0.316
0.80
0.88
0.416
1.55
1.31
1.14
1.20
0.120
0.218
0.317
0.54
0.614
0.120
1.34
0.816
1.05
0.116
0.516
0.44
1.20
0.64
0.113
0.322
0.517
0.60
0.44
1.02
0.316
0.80
0.113
0.20
0.24
0.31
0.41
0.113
0.34
0.11
0.20
0.24
0.50
0.44
0.32
0.10
0.20
0.10

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event
Station records in Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020 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, 9 to 22 February 2020 (this event)115 records

Every Record Set

20 of 115
Every record set or tied during Heat wave in Australia, 9 to 22 February 2020, in date order
DateStationRecordValueMarginYears stoodSignificance
2020-02-10Mackay M.ORecord high minimum temperature27.2 C (81.0 F)1.0 C (1.8 F)3823 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-10Townsville AeroRecord high minimum temperature27.9 C (82.2 F)0.5 C (0.9 F)3822 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-11PalmervilleRecord high minimum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)0.2 C (0.4 F)6229 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-12Mackay AeroRecord high minimum temperature27.0 C (80.6 F)1.4 C (2.5 F)6234 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-12Ayr Dpi Research STNRecord high minimum temperature26.5 C (79.7 F)1.3 C (2.3 F)4629 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-12Mackay M.ORecord high maximum temperature34.6 C (94.3 F)0.5 C (0.9 F)5023 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-13Cairns AeroRecord high maximum temperature39.1 C (102.4 F)1.0 C (1.8 F)5027 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-15South Johnstone Exp STNRecord high maximum temperature39.3 C (102.7 F)4.9 C (8.8 F)4840 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-15InnisfailRecord high maximum temperature39.2 C (102.6 F)4.2 C (7.6 F)2833 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-15Lockhart River AirportRecord high minimum temperature27.4 C (81.3 F)1.4 C (2.5 F)2826 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-15Lucinda PointRecord high maximum temperature35.4 C (95.7 F)1.8 C (3.2 F)3825 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-16Townsville AeroRecord high minimum temperature29.1 C (84.4 F)1.9 C (3.4 F)3831 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-16InnisfailRecord high maximum temperature35.1 C (95.2 F)1.5 C (2.7 F)3824 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-16Low Isles LighthouseRecord high minimum temperature29.2 C (84.6 F)1.2 C (2.2 F)2822 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-17Cairns Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature36.0 C (96.8 F)0.2 C (0.4 F)8435 of 100 (Notable)
2020-02-17Mackay M.ORecord high minimum temperature27.3 C (81.1 F)1.2 C (2.2 F)5228 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-17Double Island Point LighthouseRecord high minimum temperature25.4 C (77.7 F)0.8 C (1.4 F)4625 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-19Yamba Pilot StationRecord high maximum temperature36.4 C (97.5 F)1.4 C (2.5 F)526 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-20Lady Elliot IslandRecord high minimum temperature27.5 C (81.5 F)0.8 C (1.4 F)6129 of 100 (Routine)
2020-02-20InnisfailRecord high minimum temperature25.8 C (78.4 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)4624 of 100 (Routine)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 115 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.