Australia is experiencing temperatures well above average this October, with records being set in several regions of the country. Records have been broken in Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia, and New South Wales this month, according to the Guardian.
The temperature at Bourke Airport in New South Wales soared to 113 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday, breaking a record that dated back more than 100 years. Birdsville, in Queensland, hit a record-breaking high of 115 degrees the same day.
"The temperatures we're seeing today are just way above the norm," Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines told the Guardian. "Alongside these very hot days, there are stifling nights as well, causing heatwaves to trigger in some areas."
While relief was expected for parts of the country, including the east coast and South Australia, Hines noted that the Queensland region was forecast to stay well above average into the weekend and beyond "with no relief in sight."
A heatwave warning issued by the Bureau of Meteorology on Wednesday will remain in effect until Saturday. It outlines portions of the country that are expected to endure a severe or extreme heatwave.
"Extreme heatwaves can be dangerous for everyone," cautioned the warning. "Severe heatwaves can be dangerous for many people, especially older people, babies, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with medical conditions and people who are unwell."
A Total Fire Ban was in place for portions of New South Wales (NSW) as firefighters tried to contain several brush fires. The record heat combined with dry and windy conditions to exacerbate fire danger in the region. The NWS Rural Fire Service reported extreme conditions across most of the state on Wednesday.
"Temperatures in NSW are increasing because of climate change," according to the NSW government. "Climate change will also mean that we have more heatwaves, and they will be hotter and longer than they are now. They have been responsible for more human deaths than any other natural hazard, including bushfires, storms, tropical cyclones, and floods."
A University of Queensland study found a 20% increase in heatwave-related deaths due to "human-induced climate change."
Our warming world is supercharging extreme weather events like heatwaves. Dangerous heat is impacting nearly half the global population, according to a joint report from World Weather Attribution, the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, and Climate Central. The study assessed the influence of our overheating planet on dangerous heat waves from May 1, 2024, to May 1, 2025.
"Over the 12-month period, 4 billion people -- about 49% of the global population -- experienced at least 30 days of extreme heat (hotter than 90% of temperatures observed in their local area over the 1991-2020 period," concluded researchers.