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Australia experiences a wide range of temperatures, and Western Australia is no exception. The highest temperature ever recorded in Western Australia was 50.7°C (123.3°F) in Onslow on 13 January 2022, equalling the record set in South Australia in 1962. This temperature was also recorded in Oodnadatta, South Australia, in 1960. Western Australia can get extremely hot, with some areas regularly experiencing temperatures well over 40°C. For example, the state capital, Perth, registered a peak of 44.7°C at the airport during the 2024/25 summer heatwave.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Highest recorded temperature | 50.7°C (123.3°F) |
| Location | Onslow Airport, Onslow, Western Australia |
| Date | 13 January 2022 |
| Previous highest temperature location | Oodnadatta, South Australia |
| Previous highest temperature date | 2 January 1960 |
| Highest temperature in Perth | 44.7°C at the airport, 43.6°C in the city |
| Highest temperature in Geraldton, Western Australia | 49.3°C |
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What You'll Learn
The highest temperature in Western Australia was 50.7°C
Western Australia is known for its hot weather, and the temperature there can get extremely high. On 13 January 2022, the temperature in Onslow, a remote coastal town in Western Australia, reached a staggering 50.7°C (123.3°F). This matched the previous record set in 1962 in South Australia.
This extreme temperature occurred due to a build-up of hot air in the region, caused by a lack of thunderstorms, according to Luke Huntington of the Bureau of Meteorology. The average temperature in Onslow during this time of year is typically a much cooler 36.5°C. The record-breaking heat in Western Australia is consistent with the broader trend of increasing temperatures in the country. Climate experts attribute this to a phenomenon known as a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), where sea surface temperatures are cooler in the eastern Indian Ocean than in the west, resulting in drier and warmer conditions across Australia.
The annual mean temperature deviation in Australia has indeed increased over the past century. Specifically looking at Western Australia, the city of Geraldton has equalled its hottest temperature on record, peaking at 49.3°C. Even the state capital, Perth, has experienced scorching weather, with the airport recording a peak of 44.7°C, and the city centre reaching 43.6°C. Some suburbs in Perth have even reported temperatures surpassing those of the city centre.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Western Australia, 50.7°C, is an alarming reminder of the very real impacts of climate change. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-induced global warming. The world has already warmed by approximately 1.2°C since the industrial era, and urgent emissions reductions are necessary to curb this rise in temperatures.
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This was recorded in Onslow on 13 January 2022
Western Australia experiences a wide range of temperatures. The highest temperature ever recorded in the state was 50.7°C (123.3°F). This was recorded in Onslow on 13 January 2022. The temperature in Onslow on that Thursday matched a record set in 1962 in South Australia.
Onslow is a remote coastal town in Western Australia. The average temperature in Onslow at that time of year is usually 36.5°C. However, on that day, the temperature soared to a staggering 50.7°C, equalling the record for the highest temperature ever recorded in Australia. This record temperature was confirmed by the Bureau of Meteorology at 14:26 local time (22:26 GMT).
Two other towns in Western Australia, Mardie and Roebourne, also reported temperatures above 50°C on the same day. The extreme heat was caused by a build-up of hot air in the region due to a lack of thunderstorms, according to Luke Huntington of the Bureau of Meteorology.
The record-breaking temperature in Onslow is a stark reminder of the impact of climate change. The EU's satellite system reported that the past seven years have been the hottest on record globally. Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense due to human-induced climate change. The world has warmed by about 1.2°C since the start of the industrial era, and temperatures will continue to rise unless governments take significant action to reduce emissions.
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The previous record was set in 1962 in South Australia
Australia equalled its hottest day on record in January 2022, with a temperature of 50.7°C (123.3°F) recorded in Onslow, Western Australia. This matched a previous record set in 1962 in South Australia.
Onslow is a remote coastal town in Western Australia, and this record temperature was reported by the Bureau of Meteorology at 14:26 local time (22:26 GMT) on Thursday, 13 January 2022. Two other towns in Western Australia, Mardie and Roebourne, also recorded temperatures of over 50°C on the same day. The average temperature in Onslow during this time of year is usually around 36.5°C, making this an exceptional extreme.
The record-breaking heat in Western Australia was caused by a build-up of hot air in the region due to a lack of thunderstorms, according to Luke Huntington of the Bureau of Meteorology. This weather event occurred amid a backdrop of increasing temperatures in Australia, with the annual national mean temperature in 2020 being 1.15°C above average. Climate experts attribute this warming trend to a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), where sea surface temperatures are cooler in the eastern Indian Ocean than in the west, resulting in drier and warmer conditions across Australia.
The impact of human-induced climate change on heatwaves cannot be overstated. The EU's satellite system reported that the seven years preceding 2022 were the hottest on record. The world has warmed by approximately 1.2°C since the start of the industrial era, and temperatures will continue to rise unless global emissions are significantly reduced. Western Australia, in particular, has been affected by severe weather events, with large bushfires reported in the month before the record-breaking temperature was set in Onslow.
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Perth, the state capital, recorded its highest temperature in the 2024/25 summer
Perth, the state capital of Western Australia, recorded its highest temperature in the summer of 2024/25. The mercury soared to 44.7°C at the airport and 43.6°C in the city itself. Some suburbs of Perth even experienced higher temperatures. The extreme heat persisted throughout the week, with maximum temperatures reaching close to 40°C.
The record-breaking temperatures in Perth coincided with Severe Tropical Cyclone Sean, which was a Category 4 storm at the time. Although the cyclone remained out at sea, it still posed risks of dangerous storm tides and coastal flooding.
Perth's scorching summer in 2024/25 was part of a broader pattern driving heat towards the southern and central coastline of Western Australia. This pattern resulted in numerous readings of over 40°C in the Margaret River district.
Prior to this recent heatwave, the highest temperature ever recorded in Perth was 47°C on February 23, 1991. Temperature records for the city date back to 1897, and since 1945, the measurements have been taken at Perth Airport.
While Perth experienced its hottest summer in 2024/25, the highest temperature ever recorded in Western Australia was 50.7°C in Onslow on January 13, 2022. This temperature equalled the record for the hottest day in Australia, previously set in South Australia in 1962.
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Geraldton, Western Australia, has recorded 49.3°C
Western Australia has experienced some extremely high temperatures, with the mercury rising above 40°C in many parts of the state. On 13 January 2022, Onslow in Western Australia reported a temperature of 50.7°C, which was recorded as the highest temperature ever in the country, equalling a record set in 1962 in South Australia.
However, when considering specific regions within Western Australia, it is worth noting that Geraldton, a city in the state, has also witnessed remarkably high temperatures. On a day of extreme weather in Western Australia, Geraldton equalled its hottest temperature on record, reaching a scorching 49.3°C. This temperature is remarkably close to the record-breaking 50.7°C experienced in Onslow.
The heat in Geraldton is not an isolated incident, as the broader region has been impacted by soaring temperatures. The Margaret River district, for example, recorded numerous readings well over 40°C, and Perth, the state capital, registered the hottest temperatures of any Australian capital city during the 2024/25 summer, peaking at 44.7°C at the airport and 43.6°C in the city itself.
These temperature extremes in Western Australia are influenced by various climatic factors. Climate experts attribute the heat to a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), where cooler sea surface temperatures in the eastern Indian Ocean create a discrepancy, leading to drier and warmer conditions across Australia. Additionally, global warming, driven by greenhouse gas emissions, has been implicated in the warming of sea surface temperatures and the IOD, further exacerbating the heat in regions like Geraldton.
The impact of these high temperatures can be significant, with Western Australia experiencing large bushfires and other extreme weather events. As temperatures continue to rise, it is essential to address the underlying causes, particularly focusing on reducing emissions to mitigate the effects of global warming and climate change.
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Frequently asked questions
The highest recorded temperature in Western Australia is 50.7°C (123.3°F), recorded on 13 January 2022 in Onslow.
No, the temperature has been increasing over the past century due to global warming and the positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOC).
The IOC is a climate phenomenon where sea surface temperatures are cooler in the eastern half of the Indian Ocean than in the western half, leading to drier and warmer conditions in Australia.
The second-highest temperature recorded in Western Australia is 49.3°C, which was recorded in Geraldton.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Australia is the same as that of Western Australia, 50.7°C, which was also recorded in Oodnadatta, South Australia, in 1960.
