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Data as of 2026-10-17
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Built 2026-10-19 (19 October 2026)

Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023

Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023: 312 records at 134 stations, peak on 18 March 2023. Closed.

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

Key Facts

  • Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023 set or tied 312 station records at 134 stations.
  • It ran from 1 March 2023 to 22 March 2023 (22 days) and its peak day was 18 March 2023.
  • Status: closed.
  • Moruya Heads Pilot Station set a daily record high maximum temperature of 30.0 C (86.0 F) on 7 March 2023.
  • The busiest day was 18 March 2023 with 52 records.
  • The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 80 years.

Footprint

1 to 22 March 2023
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023 The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023 is outlined, with 19 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type.
The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023 is outlined, with 19 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023: stations that set records in the event
StationTypeValueDate
Moruya Heads Pilot StationRecord high maximum temperature30.0 C (86.0 F)2023-03-07
Oodnadatta AirportRecord high maximum temperature42.5 C (108.5 F)2023-03-15
Gunnedah Resource CentreRecord high minimum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)2023-03-07
Archerfield AirportRecord high minimum temperature22.4 C (72.3 F)2023-03-12
Sydney Airport AMORecord high maximum temperature36.5 C (97.7 F)2023-03-07
Montague Island LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature29.0 C (84.2 F)2023-03-07
Narooma RvcpRecord high maximum temperature31.0 C (87.8 F)2023-03-07
Wagga Wagga AMORecord high maximum temperature39.9 C (103.8 F)2023-03-19
Yarras (Mount Seaview)Record high minimum temperature21.8 C (71.2 F)2023-03-07
Essendon AirportRecord high maximum temperature37.6 C (99.7 F)2023-03-18
Collarenebri (Albert St)Record high maximum temperature40.2 C (104.4 F)2023-03-06
Cape Moreton LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature30.2 C (86.4 F)2023-03-11
Gladstone RadarRecord high maximum temperature34.7 C (94.5 F)2023-03-16
Logan City Water TreatmentRecord high minimum temperature27.3 C (81.1 F)2023-03-18
Griffith Airport AWSRecord high maximum temperature41.9 C (107.4 F)2023-03-19
Trangie Research Station AWSRecord high maximum temperature40.4 C (104.7 F)2023-03-20
Lostock DamRecord high minimum temperature23.8 C (74.8 F)2023-03-07
Scone Airport AWSRecord high minimum temperature26.5 C (79.7 F)2023-03-07
Laverton RaafRecord high maximum temperature38.3 C (100.9 F)2023-03-18

Records per Day

Peak day 52
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023 Records set or tied each day from 1 March 2023 to 22 March 2023. The most in one day was 52 on 18 March 2023. 0 15 30 45 60 03-0103-0503-0703-0903-1103-1303-1503-1703-1903-21
Records set or tied each day from 1 March 2023 to 22 March 2023. The most in one day was 52 on 18 March 2023.
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023
DateRecords
2023-03-011
2023-03-031
2023-03-055
2023-03-0624
2023-03-0738
2023-03-0818
2023-03-097
2023-03-101
2023-03-116
2023-03-1215
2023-03-134
2023-03-141
2023-03-1512
2023-03-1641
2023-03-1731
2023-03-1852
2023-03-1944
2023-03-209
2023-03-211
2023-03-221

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced
Top records of Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023 ranked by margin
Narooma Rvcp, 03-075.0 C (9.0 F)
Scone Airport AWS, 03-074.8 C (8.6 F)
Trangie Research Station AWS, 03-204.4 C (7.9 F)
Griffith Airport AWS, 03-194.2 C (7.6 F)
Gunnedah Resource Centre, 03-074.1 C (7.4 F)
Moruya Heads Pilot Station, 03-073.9 C (7.0 F)
Logan City Water Treatment, 03-183.9 C (7.0 F)
Sydney Airport AMO, 03-073.5 C (6.3 F)
Montague Island Lighthouse, 03-073.1 C (5.6 F)
Collarenebri (Albert St), 03-063.0 C (5.4 F)
Essendon Airport, 03-182.8 C (5.0 F)
Laverton Raaf, 03-181.9 C (3.4 F)
Gunnedah Resource Centre, 03-071.7 C (3.1 F)
Lostock Dam, 03-071.4 C (2.5 F)
Oodnadatta Airport, 03-151.3 C (2.3 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, 1 to 22 March 2023 312 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 0.01.32.53.85.0 Margin (C) Years the old record stood
312 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, 1 to 22 March 2023
Margin (C)Years the old record stood
3.964
1.380
0.873
4.140
3.544
3.133
5.08
0.440
0.542
2.854
0.864
0.564
3.924
3.052
4.441
1.757
4.249
1.424
4.83
1.954
1.054
0.954
1.958
2.620
2.254
0.848
4.020
3.742
1.158
1.049
0.548
2.742
2.940
2.045
1.152
1.920
0.825
1.525
1.725
4.116
4.020
1.725
2.933
0.657
1.432
3.222
0.748
0.149
0.248
0.752
0.652
2.142
0.321
0.620
4.420
3.224
0.325
0.248
1.824
0.816
1.936
0.648
1.219
4.216
2.042
3.420
0.148
0.148
1.720
3.38
3.320
0.219
0.640
1.540
2.724
1.240
3.232
1.642
4.316
1.342
0.215
1.436
3.820
2.418
1.216
0.644
0.146
3.116
3.520
0.47
4.69
2.620
1.74
1.033
0.145
2.08
3.08
0.57
0.936
0.119
3.64
0.640
0.540
1.040
1.324
0.140
2.520
0.736
0.140
1.428
1.07
1.037
0.242
0.342
0.37
2.420
0.916
1.118
1.310
0.338
2.58
2.220
0.236
1.120
4.04
0.424
0.533
0.224
1.024
1.720
1.620
0.332
0.928
1.424
0.132
0.716
1.916
2.812
1.421
3.44
1.316
3.020
2.820
2.614
1.920
2.520
2.120
2.420
0.324
0.428
0.918
1.416
1.124
0.328
1.520
1.514
0.828
0.228
1.616
3.18
1.820
1.014
1.820
0.418
0.624
0.324
0.128
0.524
0.720
0.420
1.316
0.620
1.412
0.720
0.720
3.36
2.217
3.06
3.26
3.28
0.532
0.822
1.420
1.914
2.220
1.814
0.85
0.513
0.128
0.820
0.124
1.018
0.416
1.016
1.512
1.617
1.420
0.224
2.34
0.820

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event
Station records in Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023 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, 1 to 22 March 2023 (this event)312 records

Every Record Set

20 of 312
Every record set or tied during Heat wave in Australia, 1 to 22 March 2023, in date order
DateStationRecordValueMarginYears stoodSignificance
2023-03-06Collarenebri (Albert St)Record high maximum temperature40.2 C (104.4 F)3.0 C (5.4 F)5228 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-07Moruya Heads Pilot StationRecord high maximum temperature30.0 C (86.0 F)3.9 C (7.0 F)6441 of 100 (Notable)
2023-03-07Gunnedah Resource CentreRecord high minimum temperature25.2 C (77.4 F)4.1 C (7.4 F)4033 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-07Sydney Airport AMORecord high maximum temperature36.5 C (97.7 F)3.5 C (6.3 F)4431 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-07Montague Island LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature29.0 C (84.2 F)3.1 C (5.6 F)3331 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-07Narooma RvcpRecord high maximum temperature31.0 C (87.8 F)5.0 C (9.0 F)831 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-07Yarras (Mount Seaview)Record high minimum temperature21.8 C (71.2 F)0.5 C (0.9 F)4229 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-07Gunnedah Resource CentreRecord high maximum temperature37.3 C (99.1 F)1.7 C (3.1 F)5728 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-07Lostock DamRecord high minimum temperature23.8 C (74.8 F)1.4 C (2.5 F)2427 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-07Scone Airport AWSRecord high minimum temperature26.5 C (79.7 F)4.8 C (8.6 F)327 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-11Cape Moreton LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature30.2 C (86.4 F)0.5 C (0.9 F)6428 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-12Archerfield AirportRecord high minimum temperature22.4 C (72.3 F)0.8 C (1.4 F)7333 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-15Oodnadatta AirportRecord high maximum temperature42.5 C (108.5 F)1.3 C (2.3 F)8034 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-16Gladstone RadarRecord high maximum temperature34.7 C (94.5 F)0.8 C (1.4 F)6428 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-18Essendon AirportRecord high maximum temperature37.6 C (99.7 F)2.8 C (5.0 F)5429 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-18Logan City Water TreatmentRecord high minimum temperature27.3 C (81.1 F)3.9 C (7.0 F)2428 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-18Laverton RaafRecord high maximum temperature38.3 C (100.9 F)1.9 C (3.4 F)5427 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-19Wagga Wagga AMORecord high maximum temperature39.9 C (103.8 F)0.4 C (0.7 F)4030 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-19Griffith Airport AWSRecord high maximum temperature41.9 C (107.4 F)4.2 C (7.6 F)4928 of 100 (Routine)
2023-03-20Trangie Research Station AWSRecord high maximum temperature40.4 C (104.7 F)4.4 C (7.9 F)4128 of 100 (Routine)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 312 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.