January 2nd 2025.
It's no secret that Australia is known for its scorching hot temperatures, and last year was no exception. In fact, it was the second-hottest year on record since we started keeping track. And it looks like the heat is not letting up anytime soon, with a weekend heatwave predicted to continue the hot streak in the early months of 2025.
The Bureau of Meteorology recently released data showing that Australia's average temperature was a staggering 1.46 degrees hotter than the average from 1961-1990. This is a significant increase and only the second time in 115 years that our yearly temperature has been more than 1.4 degrees above that baseline. According to meteorologists from Weatherzone, the only other time this has happened was in 2019, which was the hottest year on record at 1.51 degrees above the average.
Already, the heat has made its presence known in Western Australia, making for a warm welcome to the new year. But the heat isn't stopping there. It's expected to gradually move east, settling over New South Wales and Victoria this weekend. This could mean severe to extreme heatwave conditions for parts of south-eastern NSW from Saturday to Monday. Meanwhile, most of Victoria and northern Tasmania are likely to experience low-intensity conditions.
The peak of this heatwave is anticipated to be on Monday, and it's not just a small area that will be affected. According to the BoM, large parts of the country experienced above-average temperatures last year. In particular, significant sections of the Western Australian coast, northern South Australia, and the NSW-Victoria border recorded their highest-ever temperatures. It's clear that the heat is making its presence known across the nation.
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