Heatwave Persists in Australia as Inland Temps Nudge 50C

‘We haven’t seen these temperatures in several years.’

In this photo illustration a thermometer is seen on the banks of the Swan River on January 22, 2022 in Perth, Australia. Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images

One of Australia’s hottest summers on record continues to produce temperatures well above average across the nation, including a scorching 49.4C in the Queensland tourist town of Birdsville.

Heatwave conditions swept across large parts of central and eastern Australia on Thursday with both maximum and minimum temperatures sitting about 6C to 12C above average.