Built 2026-10-19 (19 October 2026)

Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018

Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018: 256 records at 104 stations, peak on 14 February 2018. Closed.

Data as of . Last revised (2026-10-17).

Key Facts

  • Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018 set or tied 256 station records at 104 stations.
  • It ran from 7 February 2018 to 21 February 2018 (15 days) and its peak day was 14 February 2018.
  • Status: closed.
  • Sydney (Observatory Hill) set a daily record high minimum temperature of 23.7 C (74.7 F) on 19 February 2018.
  • The busiest day was 14 February 2018 with 49 records.
  • The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 94 years.

Footprint

7 to 21 February 2018
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018 The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018 is outlined, with 14 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type.
The area covered by Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018 is outlined, with 14 of the stations that set records marked, coloured by record type. Made with Natural Earth.
Footprint of Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018: stations that set records in the event
StationTypeValueDate
Wilsons Promontory LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature31.4 C (88.5 F)2018-02-10
Sydney (Observatory Hill)Record high minimum temperature23.7 C (74.7 F)2018-02-19
Boulia AirportRecord high maximum temperature45.2 C (113.4 F)2018-02-20
Rockhampton AeroRecord high maximum temperature40.3 C (104.5 F)2018-02-15
Texas Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature45.0 C (113.0 F)2018-02-11
Richmond Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature42.6 C (108.7 F)2018-02-15
Tambo Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature43.0 C (109.4 F)2018-02-12
Yamba Pilot StationRecord high maximum temperature30.9 C (87.6 F)2018-02-14
Double Island Point LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature34.6 C (94.3 F)2018-02-15
Gladstone RadarRecord high maximum temperature37.5 C (99.5 F)2018-02-15
Charleville AeroRecord high maximum temperature43.0 C (109.4 F)2018-02-14
University of Queensland GattoRecord high maximum temperature41.3 C (106.3 F)2018-02-14
Stanthorpe Leslie ParadeRecord high maximum temperature36.1 C (97.0 F)2018-02-12
Mackay AeroRecord high maximum temperature34.6 C (94.3 F)2018-02-16

Records per Day

Peak day 49
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018 Records set or tied each day from 7 February 2018 to 21 February 2018. The most in one day was 49 on 14 February 2018. 0 13 25 38 50 02-0702-0902-1102-1302-1502-1702-1902-21
Records set or tied each day from 7 February 2018 to 21 February 2018. The most in one day was 49 on 14 February 2018.
Records per day during Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018
DateRecords
2018-02-072
2018-02-088
2018-02-0914
2018-02-1020
2018-02-1112
2018-02-1217
2018-02-1332
2018-02-1449
2018-02-1532
2018-02-1621
2018-02-178
2018-02-188
2018-02-1922
2018-02-208
2018-02-213

Top Records by Margin

Margin over the record replaced
Top records of Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018 ranked by margin
Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse, 02-107.0 C (12.6 F)
Rockhampton Aero, 02-154.2 C (7.6 F)
Stanthorpe Leslie Parade, 02-123.6 C (6.5 F)
University of Queensland Gatto, 02-143.0 C (5.4 F)
Double Island Point Lighthouse, 02-152.4 C (4.3 F)
Charleville Aero, 02-142.4 C (4.3 F)
Rockhampton Aero, 02-132.2 C (4.0 F)
Texas Post Office, 02-122.1 C (3.8 F)
Gladstone Radar, 02-151.9 C (3.4 F)
Yamba Pilot Station, 02-141.8 C (3.2 F)
Boulia Airport, 02-201.4 C (2.5 F)
Gladstone Radar, 02-161.3 C (2.3 F)
Boulia Airport, 02-151.2 C (2.2 F)
Boulia Airport, 02-201.1 C (2.0 F)
Sydney (Observatory Hill), 02-190.7 C (1.3 F)

Margin is how far the new value is beyond the record it replaced. Ties are not shown.

Margin Against Age of the Broken Record

Margin against age of the broken record in Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018 256 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right. 0 25 50 75 100 0.02.04.06.08.0 Margin (C) Years the old record stood
256 records plotted by how far they beat the old record (across) and how many years the old record had stood (up). Long standing records beaten by a wide margin sit in the top right.
Margin against age of the broken record in Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018
Margin (C)Years the old record stood
0.794
7.060
1.192
1.492
4.256
0.192
0.438
2.268
2.114
0.383
0.258
2.455
1.855
1.258
1.958
1.352
2.458
3.052
3.640
0.760
0.51
0.259
4.539
0.136
1.154
0.240
0.848
0.748
1.748
1.352
0.362
3.18
1.536
1.254
3.435
1.048
3.114
1.252
0.558
1.152
0.958
2.940
3.040
0.723
1.748
0.455
0.455
2.839
0.552
1.544
0.946
2.135
0.255
2.239
1.152
1.052
0.748
3.612
1.448
1.135
1.143
0.836
0.547
0.746
0.436
3.70
1.036
0.636
0.452
0.746
0.848
0.648
1.435
1.636
2.232
1.536
0.148
0.848
1.636
0.248
0.646
1.535
0.148
0.935
2.712
1.536
0.935
1.536
4.48
1.239
1.612
2.427
0.336
0.643
0.238
0.146
1.532
1.516
1.88
0.540
1.828
0.335
0.926
1.035
2.020
0.939
0.139
0.544
1.435
0.743
1.035
0.735
0.332
1.712
0.236
0.935
3.014
2.815
0.134
0.739
0.539
0.140
1.318
0.17
0.435
0.60
0.10
0.51
1.114
3.14
0.535
0.535
2.614
0.136
2.320
1.822
2.014
3.98
0.532
0.235
2.32
0.526
2.312
0.10
2.114
0.135
0.235
0.336
0.335
0.239
1.77
1.019
1.018
1.612
0.426
0.518
2.48
0.88
1.26
1.412
1.412
0.128
1.214
1.114
2.018
2.015
1.92
1.919
0.318
0.328
0.420
0.414
1.512
1.014
1.814
0.620
0.127
0.416
1.316
0.326
1.316
0.82
0.120
0.520
0.214
1.12
1.314
0.82
0.90
0.812
2.30
2.14
0.912
0.814
1.34
0.80
0.420
0.37
1.16
1.57

Compared With Other Events

Station records per event
Station records in Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018 compared with similar events
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 16 January to 14 February 20249,869 records
Heat wave in United States, 28 January to 24 February 20266,528 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 24 May to 19 June 20205,047 records
Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 26 March to 17 April 20213,669 records
Heat wave in Germany and 49 other countries, 18 December 2021 to 15 January 20223,626 records
Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018 (this event)256 records

Every Record Set

20 of 256
Every record set or tied during Heat wave in Australia, 7 to 21 February 2018, in date order
DateStationRecordValueMarginYears stoodSignificance
2018-02-10Wilsons Promontory LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature31.4 C (88.5 F)7.0 C (12.6 F)6041 of 100 (Notable)
2018-02-11Texas Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature45.0 C (113.0 F)0.4 C (0.7 F)3837 of 100 (Notable)
2018-02-12Texas Post OfficeRecord high minimum temperature30.0 C (86.0 F)2.1 C (3.8 F)1436 of 100 (Notable)
2018-02-12Tambo Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature43.0 C (109.4 F)0.2 C (0.4 F)5833 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-12Stanthorpe Leslie ParadeRecord high maximum temperature36.1 C (97.0 F)3.6 C (6.5 F)4028 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-13Rockhampton AeroRecord high maximum temperature40.4 C (104.7 F)2.2 C (4.0 F)6836 of 100 (Notable)
2018-02-14Yamba Pilot StationRecord high maximum temperature30.9 C (87.6 F)1.8 C (3.2 F)5533 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-14Charleville AeroRecord high maximum temperature43.0 C (109.4 F)2.4 C (4.3 F)5830 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-14University of Queensland GattoRecord high maximum temperature41.3 C (106.3 F)3.0 C (5.4 F)5229 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-15Rockhampton AeroRecord high maximum temperature40.3 C (104.5 F)4.2 C (7.6 F)5639 of 100 (Notable)
2018-02-15Richmond Post OfficeRecord high maximum temperature42.6 C (108.7 F)0.3 C (0.5 F)8334 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-15Double Island Point LighthouseRecord high maximum temperature34.6 C (94.3 F)2.4 C (4.3 F)5533 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-15Boulia AirportRecord high minimum temperature31.8 C (89.2 F)1.2 C (2.2 F)5831 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-15Gladstone RadarRecord high maximum temperature37.5 C (99.5 F)1.9 C (3.4 F)5831 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-16Gladstone RadarRecord high minimum temperature26.2 C (79.2 F)1.3 C (2.3 F)5230 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-16Mackay AeroRecord high maximum temperature34.6 C (94.3 F)0.7 C (1.3 F)6027 of 100 (Routine)
2018-02-18Boulia AirportRecord high maximum temperature45.0 C (113.0 F)0.1 C (0.2 F)9237 of 100 (Notable)
2018-02-19Sydney (Observatory Hill)Record high minimum temperature23.7 C (74.7 F)0.7 C (1.3 F)9441 of 100 (Notable)
2018-02-20Boulia AirportRecord high maximum temperature45.2 C (113.4 F)1.4 C (2.5 F)9240 of 100 (Notable)
2018-02-20Boulia AirportRecord high minimum temperature32.2 C (90.0 F)1.1 C (2.0 F)9240 of 100 (Notable)

The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 256 records the event counts. The counts above use the full total.

Download the Data

Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Climatology Network Daily (GHCN-Daily). Records are computed by World Extreme Weather Monitor and are not official NOAA products. (US Government open data (NOAA NCEI)) Data as of 2026-10-17. Events are found by this site from station records and are not official designations. Records are provisional until reprocessed.