Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023

Name: Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023
Start: 2023-10-04
End: 2023-10-21
Location: Australia

Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023: 194 records at 43 stations, peak on 7 October 2023. Closed.

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

Key Facts

Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023 set or tied 194 station records at 43 stations.
It ran from 4 October 2023 to 21 October 2023 (18 days) and its peak day was 7 October 2023.
Status: closed.
Albany set a daily record high minimum temperature of 17.9 C (64.2 F) on 8 October 2023.
The busiest day was 7 October 2023 with 39 records.
The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 104 years.

Footprint

4 to 21 October 2023

The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023 is outlined, with 13 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.

Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023: stations that set records in the event
Station	Type	Value	Date
Albany	Record high minimum temperature	17.9 C (64.2 F)	2023-10-08
Narrogin	Record high maximum temperature	29.4 C (84.9 F)	2023-10-14
Pearce Raaf	Record high minimum temperature	22.3 C (72.1 F)	2023-10-07
Windy Harbour	Record high maximum temperature	30.0 C (86.0 F)	2023-10-16
Cape Leeuwin	Record high minimum temperature	17.2 C (63.0 F)	2023-10-07
Perth Airport	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	2023-10-06
Cape Naturaliste	Record high maximum temperature	29.9 C (85.8 F)	2023-10-07
Jarrahwood	Record high maximum temperature	33.0 C (91.4 F)	2023-10-07
Geraldton Airport	Record high maximum temperature	38.8 C (101.8 F)	2023-10-14
Mullewa	Record high maximum temperature	37.7 C (99.9 F)	2023-10-14
Kalbarri	Record high maximum temperature	38.5 C (101.3 F)	2023-10-14
Dwellingup	Record high maximum temperature	33.4 C (92.1 F)	2023-10-07
Ongerup	Record high maximum temperature	38.1 C (100.6 F)	2023-10-17

Records per Day

Peak day 39

Records set or tied each day from 4 October 2023 to 21 October 2023. The most in one day was 39 on 7 October 2023.

Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023
Date	Records
2023-10-04	1
2023-10-05	7
2023-10-06	17
2023-10-07	39
2023-10-08	18
2023-10-09	7
2023-10-10	5
2023-10-11	3
2023-10-12	2
2023-10-13	9
2023-10-14	21
2023-10-15	10
2023-10-16	22
2023-10-17	20
2023-10-18	3
2023-10-19	1
2023-10-20	5
2023-10-21	4

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced

Top records of Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023 ranked by margin
Windy Harbour, 10-16	8.4 C (15.1 F)
Jarrahwood, 10-07	6.4 C (11.5 F)
Cape Naturaliste, 10-07	6.3 C (11.3 F)
Perth Airport, 10-06	5.1 C (9.2 F)
Pearce Raaf, 10-07	5.0 C (9.0 F)
Kalbarri, 10-14	4.1 C (7.4 F)
Kalbarri, 10-15	3.9 C (7.0 F)
Geraldton Airport, 10-14	3.7 C (6.7 F)
Dwellingup, 10-07	3.4 C (6.1 F)
Geraldton Airport, 10-13	2.9 C (5.2 F)
Albany, 10-08	2.2 C (4.0 F)
Perth Airport, 10-07	2.2 C (4.0 F)
Ongerup, 10-17	1.8 C (3.2 F)
Albany, 10-07	1.6 C (2.9 F)
Narrogin, 10-14	0.6 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

194 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, 4 to 21 October 2023
Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.2	104
0.6	104
5.0	53
8.4	8
0.6	78
0.5	76
5.1	45
1.6	65
0.3	76
6.3	12
6.4	37
3.7	52
0.6	43
0.5	74
4.1	50
2.9	52
3.9	50
3.4	53
1.8	41
2.2	53
2.4	46
4.4	45
3.9	53
3.6	37
3.0	45
2.4	53
4.4	45
3.1	50
2.7	53
2.4	53
3.3	37
2.9	53
2.7	52
1.8	53
2.2	52
2.5	37
2.2	50
0.8	65
2.7	53
1.1	52
1.3	53
3.3	45
0.5	53
1.5	46
3.0	45
3.2	38
0.6	48
3.7	20
1.1	26
1.3	50
4.3	25
5.4	25
2.9	37
3.6	37
3.5	37
4.6	26
0.1	10
0.4	53
3.5	16
3.0	37
3.4	37
3.4	37
1.6	41
2.1	41
2.0	28
0.1	53
1.3	52
2.8	37
3.5	13
0.9	40
1.8	34
3.1	37
0.3	46
1.9	28
0.9	45
1.6	37
0.9	46
4.6	12
0.7	45
2.4	37
0.1	46
4.4	12
0.2	52
2.0	37
1.6	37
5.1	8
2.4	28
0.6	8
0.2	49
0.7	45
1.5	28
0.3	14
0.6	45
1.1	34
1.4	34
1.6	20
2.5	32
1.0	25
0.5	32
4.0	8
1.8	26
1.9	4
0.5	37
2.5	26
2.3	10
2.2	12
2.9	25
0.2	9
0.2	40
0.6	38
1.4	28
3.5	1
2.4	13
0.6	25
2.3	9
3.4	8
4.8	8
1.0	24
3.4	13
0.2	34
0.1	36
0.8	13
0.3	34
1.5	12
0.1	0
0.3	25
1.0	28
0.8	12
0.7	28
0.9	8
0.8	12
1.0	28
3.2	4
3.1	8
2.2	13
1.0	20
0.2	16
2.2	8
1.2	13
1.3	13
0.1	32
1.6	13
1.1	13
0.3	25
1.7	8
1.0	12
2.9	8
1.7	4
0.4	12
1.9	4
1.0	16
1.9	4
2.0	8
0.5	16
1.5	12
1.5	8
1.4	10
1.5	5
0.3	8
0.3	8
1.3	6
0.3	18
0.2	18
0.9	10
0.6	10
0.2	4
1.0	12
2.2	6
0.8	5
0.7	12
0.1	8
0.6	13
1.0	8
1.0	6
0.1	9
0.2	18
1.0	8
0.8	12
0.1	12
0.8	12
0.6	8
1.1	4
0.6	12
0.4	8
0.4	16
0.1	8
0.2	12
1.5	4
1.0	8
0.6	12
0.1	4
0.5	4
0.4	4
0.3	9

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event

Station records in Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023 compared with similar events
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 16 January to 14 February 2024	9,869 records
Heat wave in United States, 28 January to 24 February 2026	6,528 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 24 May to 19 June 2020	5,047 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 26 March to 17 April 2021	3,669 records
Heat wave in Germany and 49 other countries, 18 December 2021 to 15 January 2022	3,626 records
Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023 (this event)	194 records

Every Record Set

20 of 194

Every record set or tied during Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 21 October 2023, in date order
Date	Station	Record	Value	Margin	Years stood	Significance
2023-10-06	Perth Airport	Record high maximum temperature	34.4 C (93.9 F)	5.1 C (9.2 F)	45	33 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-07	Pearce Raaf	Record high minimum temperature	22.3 C (72.1 F)	5.0 C (9.0 F)	53	38 of 100 (Notable)
2023-10-07	Cape Leeuwin	Record high minimum temperature	17.2 C (63.0 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	76	34 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-07	Albany	Record high maximum temperature	27.2 C (81.0 F)	1.6 C (2.9 F)	65	33 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-07	Cape Naturaliste	Record high maximum temperature	29.9 C (85.8 F)	6.3 C (11.3 F)	12	33 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-07	Jarrahwood	Record high maximum temperature	33.0 C (91.4 F)	6.4 C (11.5 F)	37	33 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-07	Dwellingup	Record high maximum temperature	33.4 C (92.1 F)	3.4 C (6.1 F)	53	30 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-07	Perth Airport	Record high maximum temperature	35.9 C (96.6 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	53	29 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-08	Albany	Record high minimum temperature	17.9 C (64.2 F)	2.2 C (4.0 F)	104	49 of 100 (Notable)
2023-10-08	Cape Leeuwin	Record high minimum temperature	16.4 C (61.5 F)	0.3 C (0.5 F)	76	33 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-09	Albany	Record high minimum temperature	14.5 C (58.1 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	78	35 of 100 (Notable)
2023-10-13	Geraldton Airport	Record high maximum temperature	36.9 C (98.4 F)	2.9 C (5.2 F)	52	30 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-14	Narrogin	Record high maximum temperature	29.4 C (84.9 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	104	41 of 100 (Notable)
2023-10-14	Geraldton Airport	Record high maximum temperature	38.8 C (101.8 F)	3.7 C (6.7 F)	52	32 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-14	Mullewa	Record high maximum temperature	37.7 C (99.9 F)	0.5 C (0.9 F)	74	32 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-14	Kalbarri	Record high maximum temperature	38.5 C (101.3 F)	4.1 C (7.4 F)	50	31 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-15	Kalbarri	Record high maximum temperature	40.3 C (104.5 F)	3.9 C (7.0 F)	50	30 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-16	Windy Harbour	Record high maximum temperature	30.0 C (86.0 F)	8.4 C (15.1 F)	8	38 of 100 (Notable)
2023-10-16	Geraldton Airport	Record high maximum temperature	41.3 C (106.3 F)	0.6 C (1.1 F)	43	32 of 100 (Routine)
2023-10-17	Ongerup	Record high maximum temperature	38.1 C (100.6 F)	1.8 C (3.2 F)	41	30 of 100 (Routine)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 194 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.

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.2	104
0.6	104
5.0	53
8.4	8
0.6	78
0.5	76
5.1	45
1.6	65
0.3	76
6.3	12
6.4	37
3.7	52
0.6	43
0.5	74
4.1	50
2.9	52
3.9	50
3.4	53
1.8	41
2.2	53
2.4	46
4.4	45
3.9	53
3.6	37
3.0	45
2.4	53
4.4	45
3.1	50
2.7	53
2.4	53
3.3	37
2.9	53
2.7	52
1.8	53
2.2	52
2.5	37
2.2	50
0.8	65
2.7	53
1.1	52
1.3	53
3.3	45
0.5	53
1.5	46
3.0	45
3.2	38
0.6	48
3.7	20
1.1	26
1.3	50
4.3	25
5.4	25
2.9	37
3.6	37
3.5	37
4.6	26
0.1	10
0.4	53
3.5	16
3.0	37
3.4	37
3.4	37
1.6	41
2.1	41
2.0	28
0.1	53
1.3	52
2.8	37
3.5	13
0.9	40
1.8	34
3.1	37
0.3	46
1.9	28
0.9	45
1.6	37
0.9	46
4.6	12
0.7	45
2.4	37
0.1	46
4.4	12
0.2	52
2.0	37
1.6	37
5.1	8
2.4	28
0.6	8
0.2	49
0.7	45
1.5	28
0.3	14
0.6	45
1.1	34
1.4	34
1.6	20
2.5	32
1.0	25
0.5	32
4.0	8
1.8	26
1.9	4
0.5	37
2.5	26
2.3	10
2.2	12
2.9	25
0.2	9
0.2	40
0.6	38
1.4	28
3.5	1
2.4	13
0.6	25
2.3	9
3.4	8
4.8	8
1.0	24
3.4	13
0.2	34
0.1	36
0.8	13
0.3	34
1.5	12
0.1	0
0.3	25
1.0	28
0.8	12
0.7	28
0.9	8
0.8	12
1.0	28
3.2	4
3.1	8
2.2	13
1.0	20
0.2	16
2.2	8
1.2	13
1.3	13
0.1	32
1.6	13
1.1	13
0.3	25
1.7	8
1.0	12
2.9	8
1.7	4
0.4	12
1.9	4
1.0	16
1.9	4
2.0	8
0.5	16
1.5	12
1.5	8
1.4	10
1.5	5
0.3	8
0.3	8
1.3	6
0.3	18
0.2	18
0.9	10
0.6	10
0.2	4
1.0	12
2.2	6
0.8	5
0.7	12
0.1	8
0.6	13
1.0	8
1.0	6
0.1	9
0.2	18
1.0	8
0.8	12
0.1	12
0.8	12
0.6	8
1.1	4
0.6	12
0.4	8
0.4	16
0.1	8
0.2	12
1.5	4
1.0	8
0.6	12
0.1	4
0.5	4
0.4	4
0.3	9

Margin (C)	Years the old record stood
2.2	104
0.6	104
5.0	53
8.4	8
0.6	78
0.5	76
5.1	45
1.6	65
0.3	76
6.3	12
6.4	37
3.7	52
0.6	43
0.5	74
4.1	50
2.9	52
3.9	50
3.4	53
1.8	41
2.2	53
2.4	46
4.4	45
3.9	53
3.6	37
3.0	45
2.4	53
4.4	45
3.1	50
2.7	53
2.4	53
3.3	37
2.9	53
2.7	52
1.8	53
2.2	52
2.5	37
2.2	50
0.8	65
2.7	53
1.1	52
1.3	53
3.3	45
0.5	53
1.5	46
3.0	45
3.2	38
0.6	48
3.7	20
1.1	26
1.3	50
4.3	25
5.4	25
2.9	37
3.6	37
3.5	37
4.6	26
0.1	10
0.4	53
3.5	16
3.0	37
3.4	37
3.4	37
1.6	41
2.1	41
2.0	28
0.1	53
1.3	52
2.8	37
3.5	13
0.9	40
1.8	34
3.1	37
0.3	46
1.9	28
0.9	45
1.6	37
0.9	46
4.6	12
0.7	45
2.4	37
0.1	46
4.4	12
0.2	52
2.0	37
1.6	37
5.1	8
2.4	28
0.6	8
0.2	49
0.7	45
1.5	28
0.3	14
0.6	45
1.1	34
1.4	34
1.6	20
2.5	32
1.0	25
0.5	32
4.0	8
1.8	26
1.9	4
0.5	37
2.5	26
2.3	10
2.2	12
2.9	25
0.2	9
0.2	40
0.6	38
1.4	28
3.5	1
2.4	13
0.6	25
2.3	9
3.4	8
4.8	8
1.0	24
3.4	13
0.2	34
0.1	36
0.8	13
0.3	34
1.5	12
0.1	0
0.3	25
1.0	28
0.8	12
0.7	28
0.9	8
0.8	12
1.0	28
3.2	4
3.1	8
2.2	13
1.0	20
0.2	16
2.2	8
1.2	13
1.3	13
0.1	32
1.6	13
1.1	13
0.3	25
1.7	8
1.0	12
2.9	8
1.7	4
0.4	12
1.9	4
1.0	16
1.9	4
2.0	8
0.5	16
1.5	12
1.5	8
1.4	10
1.5	5
0.3	8
0.3	8
1.3	6
0.3	18
0.2	18
0.9	10
0.6	10
0.2	4
1.0	12
2.2	6
0.8	5
0.7	12
0.1	8
0.6	13
1.0	8
1.0	6
0.1	9
0.2	18
1.0	8
0.8	12
0.1	12
0.8	12
0.6	8
1.1	4
0.6	12
0.4	8
0.4	16
0.1	8
0.2	12
1.5	4
1.0	8
0.6	12
0.1	4
0.5	4
0.4	4
0.3	9