Sydney's Mini Winter Heatwave Has Set Up a Scorching Start to Spring as Temperature Records Tumble

Last week, Concrete Playground reported on a mini-heatwave bringing unusually toasty temps to the Harbour City this week. However, what first appeared to be a temporary reprieve from the winter status quo now looks set to become one of the hottest starts to spring on record, as temperature records for late August have been smashed across the country.

Parts of Sydney hit highs of 27 Celsius on Tuesday, August 27 — eight degrees above the predicted average for this time of year.

And yet, this unseasonal warmth paled in comparison to the temperature recorded in Yampi Sound in Western Australia on Monday, August 26, where the mercury peaked at a sizzling 41.6 Celsius — the highest winter temperature ever recorded in Australia, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. The previous record was a temperature of 41.2 Celsius, reached at West Roebuck on 23 August, 2020.

Elsewhere in the country, local records were also bulldozed on August 26. The outback town of Oodnadatta in South Australia reached a high of 39.4 Celsius, Yulara in the Northern Territory recorded 36 Celsius, and Birdsville in Queensland peaked at 38.4 Celsius — all records for August.

Far from being a passing phenomenon, heat in the mid-to-high twenties is predicted to stick around in Sydney well into next week and beyond. Early forecasts predict a high of 28 Celsius on Friday, August 30 and 29 Celsius on Thursday, September 5. The usual average temperature for early spring is 18 Celsius.

While the official beginning of spring is September 1, the influence of climate change is shortening the colder seasons. Last September, much of Australia endured a similar heatwave, although the onset began during the middle of the month. On September 19, 2023, the mercury climbed to 35.9 Celsius at Sydney Airport, setting a new record for the highest temperature ever recorded in the city during September.