Geraldton smashes 70-year high with peak of 49.3C making it officially hottest day on record

Geraldton experienced its hottest day on record as the mercury soared to a sizzling 49.3C on Sunday and the Mid West and Gascoyne dominated the list of the world’s hottest places. The record-breaking day smashed the previous benchmark of 47.7C, set 70 years ago — on January 9, 1954. Sunday’s scorching maximum, recorded at Geraldton Airport, of almost 50C was reached at 1.40pm. It came amid Geraldton and the Mid West-Gascoyne’s third heatwave in as many weeks. WA was the hottest spot in the world on Sunday, but Geraldton was not the hottest place in WA. That unenviable title went to Carnarvon, which broke its own record for its hottest day ever, and was the hottest place on Earth so far this year. On Sunday, the gauge in Carnarvon reached a peak of 49.9C, more than 2C higher than its previous record of 47.8C recorded on both March 3, 2007 and January 20, 2015. Shark Bay also broke its record of 47.3C on January 20, 2015 on Sunday with a 49.8C maximum. It seems as though just as people in the Mid West think it cannot get any hotter, Mother Nature wants to prove them wrong. On Sunday, most people spent the day indoors, with their air-conditioners cranked up. Some people around Geraldton and surrounds, including from Walkaway, White Peaks and Denison, commented that the temperature recorded on gauges and thermometers in their homes, cars or streets exceeded 50C. It was also a scorcher on Monday as people returned to work, with a forecast of 46C tipped. But the mercury went even further, with it hitting 47.7C at 1.23pm. That would have equalled Geraldton’s previous record set in 1954. February has been marked by a trio of heatwaves in the Mid West and Gascoyne, and Monday was the ninth day so far this month in Geraldton when the daily maximum was 40C or higher. The record for the highest number of 40C-plus February days in Geraldton is 13. Lucy Hebiton took her six-year-old niece Ava to the beach early on Monday after hiding inside in the air-conditioning most of Sunday. She said they were enjoying some sunshine early before it became too extreme, but she hoped the day would not be as sweltering as the on before it. Tuesday’s maximum is forecast to drop to 39C, before more relief arrives on Wednesday and Thursday with highs of 33C. It’s then expected to climb back up to 39C on Friday. Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Jessica Lindgard said: “We’re seeing another trough develop later this week so things will cool down — we’re looking at 33C for Saturday.” She said it was hard to forecast heatwaves. “If the trough moves 5-10km to the east, all of a sudden you get a sea breeze and it cools right off,” Ms Lindgard said. “Climatologically, we’re past the solstice and heading towards autumn, so things will begin to cool down.” According to El Dorado Weather, the 15 hottest places in the world on Sunday were all in WA, and seven of those were in the Mid West and Gascoyne. THIS WEEK’S GERALDTON FORECAST Tuesday: 39C Wednesday: 33C Thursday: 33C Friday: 39C Saturday: 30C Sunday: 33C