4 of Australia's 10 hottest days on record have occurred this year [View all]

[marmar]

Four of Australia’s hottest 10 days on record have occurred this young calendar year and another punishing round of heat is on the way.

On Monday, Australia’s average high temperature reached a scorching 40.33 C or 104.5 F, the hottest day on record.

David Jones, manager of climate monitoring for Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology told the Associated Press that the extent, duration and intensity of this summer’s heat wave is “arguably the most significant in Australia’s history.”

“The number of consecutive days where the national average maximum daily temperature exceeded 39°C has also been broken this week—seven (7) days (between 2–8 January 2013), almost doubling the previous record of four (4) consecutive days in 1973,” said Neil Plummer, assistant director for climate information services in Australia. ...........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/australia-braces-for-more-blistering-heat-after-record-busting-spell/2013/01/10/1b5e00f2-5b4f-11e2-88d0-c4cf65c3ad15_blog.html