Australia Just Set A New Heat Record

Australia Just Set A New Heat Record

There’s heat, and then there’s Australia heat. The country set a new record for its hottest day Tuesday as the average maximum temperature across Australia reached 40.9 degrees Celsius. That’s 0.6 degrees Celsius higher than the previous record set in January 2013.

The Australian Bureau of Meteorology announced this new record on Twitter Tuesday, according to its preliminary figures. This record-breaking heat doesn’t come as a surprise, though. The agency expected as much, and it also expects the heat to “intensify” through Wednesday.

This type of widespread, blistering heat increases health risks. But it will also help the bushfires tearing through parts of the country.

Southern Australia will especially feel the heat, but southeastern Australia faces a particularly high risk of feeling the burn as strengthening winds increase the fire danger in the region. People there have to stay on alert for the flames, but they also should keep an eye on the local air quality as smoke may increase air pollution in the coming days. Sydneysiders know that story all too well after choking on the most toxic air on the planet last week.

If you want to understand the depths of the climate crisis, Australia is a prime place to look. The country has warmed about 1 degree Celsius since 1910, with a sharp spike in temperatures in recent years.

The country dealt with a releasing carbon pollution and make climate change worsen ensuring more human and ecological misfortune.


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