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Built 2026-10-19 (19 October 2026)

Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023

Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023: 406 records at 143 stations, peak on 9 December 2023. Closed.

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

Key Facts

  • Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023 set or tied 406 station records at 143 stations.
  • It ran from 4 December 2023 to 19 December 2023 (16 days) and its peak day was 9 December 2023.
  • Status: closed.
  • Williamtown Raaf set a daily record high maximum temperature of 41.7 C (107.1 F) on 9 December 2023.
  • The busiest day was 9 December 2023 with 85 records.
  • The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 72 years.

Footprint

4 to 19 December 2023
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023 The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023 is outlined, with 16 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type.
The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023 is outlined, with 16 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023: stations that set records in the event
StationTypeValueDate
Williamtown RaafRecord high maximum temperature41.7 C (107.1 F)2023-12-09
Woomera AerodromeRecord high maximum temperature46.4 C (115.5 F)2023-12-07
Launceston AirportRecord high maximum temperature29.6 C (85.3 F)2023-12-11
Bankstown Airport AWSRecord high maximum temperature42.5 C (108.5 F)2023-12-09
Newcastle Nobbys Signal StatioRecord high maximum temperature38.6 C (101.5 F)2023-12-09
Katoomba (Murri St)Record high maximum temperature35.0 C (95.0 F)2023-12-09
Sydney Airport AMORecord high maximum temperature40.4 C (104.7 F)2023-12-14
Taroom Post OfficeRecord high minimum temperature24.5 C (76.1 F)2023-12-15
Menindee Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature43.5 C (110.3 F)2023-12-05
Richmond RaafRecord high maximum temperature43.8 C (110.8 F)2023-12-09
Burrinjuck DamRecord high minimum temperature21.5 C (70.7 F)2023-12-12
Gunnedah Resource CentreRecord high maximum temperature38.2 C (100.8 F)2023-12-14
Tatura Inst Sustainable AgRecord high minimum temperature25.1 C (77.2 F)2023-12-13
Hillston AirportRecord high maximum temperature41.0 C (105.8 F)2023-12-05
Cobar MoRecord high maximum temperature43.7 C (110.7 F)2023-12-07
Condobolin Ag Research STNRecord high maximum temperature43.0 C (109.4 F)2023-12-09

Records per Day

Peak day 85
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023 Records set or tied each day from 4 December 2023 to 19 December 2023. The most in one day was 85 on 9 December 2023. 0 25 50 75 100 12-0412-0612-0812-1012-1212-1412-1612-18
Records set or tied each day from 4 December 2023 to 19 December 2023. The most in one day was 85 on 9 December 2023.
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023
DateRecords
2023-12-049
2023-12-0527
2023-12-0632
2023-12-0729
2023-12-0854
2023-12-0985
2023-12-1019
2023-12-1119
2023-12-1227
2023-12-1344
2023-12-1426
2023-12-1510
2023-12-161
2023-12-177
2023-12-184
2023-12-1913

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced
Top records of Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023 ranked by margin
Bankstown Airport AWS, 12-096.0 C (10.8 F)
Katoomba (Murri St), 12-095.9 C (10.6 F)
Williamtown Raaf, 12-095.8 C (10.4 F)
Tatura Inst Sustainable Ag, 12-135.2 C (9.4 F)
Newcastle Nobbys Signal Statio, 12-094.2 C (7.6 F)
Woomera Aerodrome, 12-074.0 C (7.2 F)
Condobolin Ag Research STN, 12-093.6 C (6.5 F)
Cobar Mo, 12-073.0 C (5.4 F)
Launceston Airport, 12-112.9 C (5.2 F)
Menindee Post Office, 12-052.4 C (4.3 F)
Burrinjuck Dam, 12-122.1 C (3.8 F)
Woomera Aerodrome, 12-051.3 C (2.3 F)
Taroom Post Office, 12-151.2 C (2.2 F)
Williamtown Raaf, 12-191.0 C (1.8 F)
Hillston Airport, 12-051.0 C (1.8 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, 4 to 19 December 2023 406 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 0.02.04.06.08.0 Margin (C) Years the old record stood
406 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 19 December 2023
Margin (C)Years the old record stood
5.854
4.072
2.968
6.054
4.254
1.372
5.945
0.872
1.265
2.461
0.469
0.232
2.156
1.052
0.328
5.228
3.044
3.645
0.661
1.061
4.828
2.048
5.324
1.546
2.541
1.248
2.648
1.048
3.837
2.042
3.134
4.812
0.948
4.128
4.824
0.346
0.545
5.620
0.952
1.149
3.713
2.044
1.445
2.234
1.046
0.548
1.644
0.544
0.245
4.529
2.042
3.832
2.722
0.644
0.348
1.044
0.352
0.545
4.820
5.112
1.144
6.88
0.448
0.748
1.742
0.641
3.224
0.549
3.812
1.144
2.632
5.89
0.945
0.844
0.445
0.148
0.644
1.334
4.622
3.518
3.728
0.149
0.838
0.641
0.541
0.144
1.024
0.542
0.241
0.942
0.934
2.424
0.742
1.533
0.344
2.024
1.728
2.722
0.141
0.738
0.232
1.528
0.536
1.013
0.934
3.514
1.632
5.39
2.329
1.033
0.637
0.138
0.933
0.132
0.138
0.241
1.512
3.217
1.925
3.912
0.433
0.534
1.124
0.134
2.020
0.137
3.412
1.232
3.224
1.228
2.212
1.132
1.124
1.117
3.88
2.413
2.125
1.925
0.628
0.236
3.46
1.524
2.525
1.925
2.025
4.14
2.09
1.924
3.54
4.14
2.717
1.524
0.128
2.46
3.51
1.117
3.516
2.024
1.512
2.013
2.56
2.84
0.632
1.222
0.818
1.024
1.816
0.528
1.529
0.624
0.532
2.024
1.49
0.610
0.232
2.78
1.916
1.717
2.94
0.524
0.725
0.328
1.417
1.817
3.54
1.716
0.132
0.612
1.625
1.713
2.617
0.724
1.324
1.918
1.524
0.232
2.316
1.624
1.424
1.228

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event
Station records in Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 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, 4 to 19 December 2023 (this event)406 records

Every Record Set

20 of 406
Every record set or tied during Heat wave in Australia, 4 to 19 December 2023, in date order
DateStationRecordValueMarginYears stoodSignificance
2023-12-05Woomera AerodromeRecord high maximum temperature45.3 C (113.5 F)1.3 C (2.3 F)7230 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-05Menindee Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature43.5 C (110.3 F)2.4 C (4.3 F)6128 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-05Hillston AirportRecord high maximum temperature41.0 C (105.8 F)1.0 C (1.8 F)6125 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-06Katoomba (Murri St)Record high minimum temperature20.0 C (68.0 F)0.6 C (1.1 F)6125 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-07Woomera AerodromeRecord high maximum temperature46.4 C (115.5 F)4.0 C (7.2 F)7235 of 100 (Notable)
2023-12-07Cobar MoRecord high maximum temperature43.7 C (110.7 F)3.0 C (5.4 F)4425 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-09Williamtown RaafRecord high maximum temperature41.7 C (107.1 F)5.8 C (10.4 F)5436 of 100 (Notable)
2023-12-09Bankstown Airport AWSRecord high maximum temperature42.5 C (108.5 F)6.0 C (10.8 F)5433 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-09Newcastle Nobbys Signal StatioRecord high maximum temperature38.6 C (101.5 F)4.2 C (7.6 F)5432 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-09Katoomba (Murri St)Record high maximum temperature35.0 C (95.0 F)5.9 C (10.6 F)4530 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-09Richmond RaafRecord high maximum temperature43.8 C (110.8 F)0.2 C (0.4 F)3227 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-09Sydney Airport AMORecord high maximum temperature43.5 C (110.3 F)0.3 C (0.5 F)2826 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-09Condobolin Ag Research STNRecord high maximum temperature43.0 C (109.4 F)3.6 C (6.5 F)4525 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-11Launceston AirportRecord high maximum temperature29.6 C (85.3 F)2.9 C (5.2 F)6834 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-12Burrinjuck DamRecord high minimum temperature21.5 C (70.7 F)2.1 C (3.8 F)5627 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-13Tatura Inst Sustainable AgRecord high minimum temperature25.1 C (77.2 F)5.2 C (9.4 F)2826 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-14Sydney Airport AMORecord high maximum temperature40.4 C (104.7 F)0.8 C (1.4 F)7230 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-14Gunnedah Resource CentreRecord high maximum temperature38.2 C (100.8 F)0.4 C (0.7 F)6927 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-15Taroom Post OfficeRecord high minimum temperature24.5 C (76.1 F)1.2 C (2.2 F)6529 of 100 (Routine)
2023-12-19Williamtown RaafRecord high minimum temperature22.7 C (72.9 F)1.0 C (1.8 F)5226 of 100 (Routine)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 406 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.