Significance of late January heatwave in NSW

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donw...@weatherwatch.net.au

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Feb 4, 2026, 12:10:27 AMFeb 4
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The significance of the recent heatwave in shown clearly by th following tables. Still checking on past data  but seems ok to date.
One thing that needs to be mentioned is that there are more reporting locations in NW NSW   than in any earlier years. 

 
 
10 Highest All Time Temperatures 49.0º or above in NSW that are reliably confirmed
 
Centre
Temp
Date
Notes
1
Wilcannia
50.1
11 Jan 1939
 
2
Menindee
49.7
10 Jan 1939
 
2=
Pooncarie
49.7
27 Jan 2026
 
4
Borrona Downs
49.2
28 Jan 2026
 
5
Walgett
49.1
3 Jan 2014
 
5=
Menindee
49.1
27 Jan 2026
 
5=
Fowlers Gap
49.1
27 Jan 2026
 
5=
Fowlers Gap
49.1
31 Jan 2026
 
9=
Wanaaring
49.0
27 Jan 2026
 
9=
Smithville
49.0
31 Jan 2026
7 of 10 in late Jan 2026.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Doubtful Instrumentation
 
> 120 years ago
 
 
Bourke
49.7
13 Jan 1878, 
4 Jan 1903
 
 
Walgett
49.2
3 Jan 1903
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Consecutive Days
 
Above 45º
Days
Year
Dates
Temperatures
Wilcannia
9
1939
7-15 Jan
45.0
45.0
47.6
47.8
50.1
47.2
47.4
45.6
45.6
Bourke
8
1939
9-16 Jan
46.1
48.3
47.2
46.2
45.7
46.1
47.2
46.7
 
Fowlers Gap
7
2026
25-31 Jan
45.8
47.5
49.1
48.2
48.2
47.5
49.1
 
 
Ivanhoe
7
2026
25-31 Jan
46.6
47.6
48.4
48.2
47.2
48.0
48.4
 
 
Wanaaring
7
2026
25-31 Jan
46.0
48.2
49.0
48.5
47.8
46.4
47.7
 
 
Smithville
7
2026
25-31 Jan
45.5
46.7
48.0
48.4
48.9
48.1
49.0
 
 
BorronaDowns
7
2026
25-31 Jan
45.7
47.1
48.5
49.2
48.3
46.3
47.1
 
 
 
Bouke had 13 consecutive days over 45º from 13-26 Jan 1896 but exposure was not in Standard screen and therefore results are doubtful and not recognised by BoM.   Even then, there was no more than 3 consecutive day over 47º.
 
 
Above 47º
Days
Year
Dates
Temperatures
Wilcannia
6
2026
26-31 Jan
47.9
48.7
48.5
48.3
47.5
47.8
 
 
 
Fowlers Gap
6
2026
26-31 Jan
47.5
49.1
48.2
48.2
47.5
49.1
 
 
 
Ivanhoe
6
2026
26-31 Jan
47.6
48.4
48.2
47.2
48.0
48.4
 
 
 
Wilcannia
5
1939
9-13 Jan
47.6
47.8
50.1
47.2
47.4
 
 
 
 
Smithville
5
2026
27-31 Jan
48.0
48.4
48.9
48.1
49.0
 
 
 
 
 
Bourke had 5 consecutive days over 47º from 29 Dec 1904 to 3 Jan 1905 but  exposure  was not in Standard screen and therefore results are doubtful and not recognised by BoM.
 
Above 48º
Days
Year
Dates
Temperatures
Smithville
5
2026
27-31 Jan
48.0
48.4
48.9
48.1
49.0
 
 
 
 
 
 

Blair Trewin

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Feb 4, 2026, 6:36:01 PMFeb 4
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I had a look at the gridded temperature data (which should largely remove the effects of changes in network density) averaged over a box from 28-36S, 138-148E (this takes in most of inland NSW, northwest Victoria and eastern SA). For this area, the 2026 heatwave was virtually identical to 1939 on most measures (e.g. hottest day 0.08 hotter, 7-day average 0.06 cooler, 1939 had more consecutive 45+ days but 2026 had more consecutive 44+ days).

 

Blair

 


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