> From the WeatherWatch archives
Australia has an extreme climate, and many world weather records are set in the Land Down Under.
The highest temperature in the southern hemisphere ever recorded was in the South Australian town of Oodnadatta in 1960, at a whopping 50.7 degrees.
Onslow Airport was the hottest place IN THE WORLD during the last 24 hours. Well done, you! Treat yourselves to an icy pole & a saline drip.
— James McHale (@JamesMcHale) February 18, 2016
Australia may get heat awards, but it won’t win any southern hemisphere records for cold, especially since we are neighbours with Antarctica. Nevertheless, the lowest temperature recorded in Australia was at Charlotte’s pass in 1994 was still a teeth-chattering -23 degrees.
The honour of the highest wind gust ever recorded on earth was at Barrow Island off the northern WA coast when Severe Tropical Cyclone Olivia barred down on the region in April 1996. Wind gusts of 369km/h, 374km/h and 408 km/h were recorded, the latter being the world record. These speeds are comparable to that of F1 cars.
Tropical cyclones can also be attributed to breaking other records in Australia. When the deadliest cyclone ever to hit Australia, Tropical Cyclone Mahina, neared Bathurst Bay in 1899, a surge of 13 metres was recorded. The water level rose so much that dolphins were reported on top of 15 metre cliffs!
– Weatherzone.com.au
Before you add a new comment, take note this story was published on 19 Feb 2016.
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