Heat wave in Australia, 23 August to 3 September 2023
Heat wave in Australia, 23 August to 3 September 2023: 117 records at 47 stations, peak on 31 August 2023. Closed.
Data as of . Last revised (2026-10-17).
Key Facts
- Heat wave in Australia, 23 August to 3 September 2023 set or tied 117 station records at 47 stations.
- It ran from 23 August 2023 to 3 September 2023 (12 days) and its peak day was 31 August 2023.
- Status: closed.
- Cape Leeuwin set a daily record high maximum temperature of 24.2 C (75.6 F) on 31 August 2023.
- The busiest day was 31 August 2023 with 28 records.
- The oldest broken record in the ranked list had stood for 77 years.
Footprint
23 August to 3 September 2023| Station | Type | Value | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Leeuwin | Record high maximum temperature | 24.2 C (75.6 F) | 2023-08-31 |
| Pemberton | Record high maximum temperature | 24.5 C (76.1 F) | 2023-08-31 |
| Geraldton Airport | Record high maximum temperature | 30.3 C (86.5 F) | 2023-08-26 |
| Mullewa | Record high maximum temperature | 31.4 C (88.5 F) | 2023-08-26 |
| Salmon Gums Res.STN. | Record high maximum temperature | 30.5 C (86.9 F) | 2023-08-26 |
| Dwellingup | Record high maximum temperature | 26.9 C (80.4 F) | 2023-08-31 |
| Carnarvon Airport | Record high maximum temperature | 32.4 C (90.3 F) | 2023-08-26 |
| Badgingarra Research STN | Record high maximum temperature | 26.4 C (79.5 F) | 2023-08-30 |
| Rottnest Island | Record high maximum temperature | 28.3 C (82.9 F) | 2023-08-31 |
| Northam | Record high maximum temperature | 29.7 C (85.5 F) | 2023-08-31 |
| Corrigin | Record high maximum temperature | 27.5 C (81.5 F) | 2023-08-31 |
| Beverley | Record high maximum temperature | 28.8 C (83.8 F) | 2023-08-31 |
| Narrogin | Record high maximum temperature | 24.7 C (76.5 F) | 2023-08-31 |
| Esperance | Record high maximum temperature | 30.8 C (87.4 F) | 2023-09-01 |
| Wongan Hills | Record high maximum temperature | 32.4 C (90.3 F) | 2023-08-31 |
| Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport | Record high maximum temperature | 31.1 C (88.0 F) | 2023-09-01 |
| Meekatharra Airport | Record high maximum temperature | 31.6 C (88.9 F) | 2023-08-26 |
| Brookton | Record high maximum temperature | 25.1 C (77.2 F) | 2023-08-31 |
Records per Day
Peak day 28| Date | Records |
|---|---|
| 2023-08-23 | 2 |
| 2023-08-24 | 8 |
| 2023-08-25 | 11 |
| 2023-08-26 | 16 |
| 2023-08-27 | 12 |
| 2023-08-28 | 2 |
| 2023-08-29 | 5 |
| 2023-08-30 | 8 |
| 2023-08-31 | 28 |
| 2023-09-01 | 20 |
| 2023-09-02 | 4 |
| 2023-09-03 | 1 |
Top Records by Margin
Margin over the record replaced| Dwellingup, 08-31 | |
|---|---|
| Esperance, 09-01 | |
| Pemberton, 08-31 | |
| Badgingarra Research STN, 08-30 | |
| Cape Leeuwin, 08-31 | |
| Rottnest Island, 08-31 | |
| Salmon Gums Res.STN., 08-26 | |
| Geraldton Airport, 08-26 | |
| Wongan Hills, 08-31 | |
| Mullewa, 08-26 | |
| Carnarvon Airport, 08-26 | |
| Carnarvon Airport, 08-30 | |
| Brookton, 08-31 | |
| Northam, 08-31 | |
| Beverley, 08-31 |
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 (C) | Years the old record stood |
|---|---|
| 3.1 | 77 |
| 3.9 | 64 |
| 2.4 | 73 |
| 2.0 | 73 |
| 2.9 | 60 |
| 1.3 | 73 |
| 6.1 | 12 |
| 1.7 | 64 |
| 1.7 | 64 |
| 3.3 | 50 |
| 3.0 | 8 |
| 1.4 | 17 |
| 1.3 | 60 |
| 5.2 | 33 |
| 1.4 | 29 |
| 0.8 | 50 |
| 2.2 | 17 |
| 0.7 | 60 |
| 0.5 | 60 |
| 1.6 | 50 |
| 3.3 | 16 |
| 2.6 | 24 |
| 2.8 | 24 |
| 0.1 | 28 |
| 1.5 | 21 |
| 0.6 | 28 |
| 1.2 | 4 |
| 0.9 | 4 |
| 0.4 | 17 |
| 2.6 | 16 |
| 1.6 | 40 |
| 1.3 | 28 |
| 3.2 | 12 |
| 1.3 | 8 |
| 0.7 | 48 |
| 2.5 | 24 |
| 2.5 | 24 |
| 0.7 | 45 |
| 0.3 | 4 |
| 1.7 | 36 |
| 2.9 | 24 |
| 3.6 | 9 |
| 0.6 | 21 |
| 1.9 | 16 |
| 2.0 | 28 |
| 2.1 | 24 |
| 2.1 | 28 |
| 1.2 | 36 |
| 0.1 | 17 |
| 0.5 | 4 |
| 1.1 | 28 |
| 3.4 | 24 |
| 2.7 | 10 |
| 0.9 | 24 |
| 0.9 | 0 |
| 1.3 | 24 |
| 2.1 | 8 |
| 2.0 | 16 |
| 0.1 | 9 |
| 0.6 | 36 |
| 0.6 | 36 |
| 2.0 | 16 |
| 0.2 | 28 |
| 1.2 | 9 |
| 1.1 | 24 |
| 1.6 | 24 |
| 1.6 | 16 |
| 1.0 | 0 |
| 0.2 | 36 |
| 1.1 | 24 |
| 1.6 | 10 |
| 0.4 | 16 |
| 2.0 | 8 |
| 0.5 | 16 |
| 1.7 | 8 |
| 1.6 | 9 |
| 1.7 | 8 |
| 1.7 | 10 |
| 0.5 | 24 |
| 0.8 | 20 |
| 0.7 | 24 |
| 1.8 | 8 |
| 0.6 | 16 |
| 0.8 | 8 |
| 1.6 | 10 |
| 2.0 | 8 |
| 0.1 | 9 |
| 1.2 | 9 |
| 1.3 | 8 |
| 1.1 | 20 |
| 0.5 | 16 |
| 0.9 | 10 |
| 0.7 | 10 |
| 0.9 | 8 |
| 0.3 | 22 |
| 0.2 | 20 |
| 0.9 | 9 |
| 1.3 | 12 |
| 1.1 | 16 |
| 0.5 | 12 |
| 1.0 | 10 |
| 0.4 | 9 |
| 1.2 | 9 |
| 1.0 | 8 |
| 1.0 | 8 |
| 1.0 | 8 |
| 0.2 | 2 |
| 0.1 | 10 |
| 0.5 | 8 |
| 0.6 | 8 |
| 0.4 | 2 |
| 0.6 | 8 |
| 0.6 | 8 |
| 0.5 | 8 |
| 0.4 | 9 |
| 0.6 | 2 |
| 0.1 | 4 |
Compared With Other Events
Station records per event| Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 16 January to 14 February 2024 | |
|---|---|
| Heat wave in United States, 28 January to 24 February 2026 | |
| Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 24 May to 19 June 2020 | |
| Heat wave in United States and Mexico, 26 March to 17 April 2021 | |
| Heat wave in Germany and 49 other countries, 18 December 2021 to 15 January 2022 | |
| Heat wave in Australia, 23 August to 3 September 2023 (this event) |
Every Record Set
20 of 117| Date | Station | Record | Value | Margin | Years stood | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-08-26 | Geraldton Airport | Record high maximum temperature | 30.3 C (86.5 F) | 2.4 C (4.3 F) | 73 | 39 of 100 (Notable) |
| 2023-08-26 | Mullewa | Record high maximum temperature | 31.4 C (88.5 F) | 2.0 C (3.6 F) | 73 | 37 of 100 (Notable) |
| 2023-08-26 | Salmon Gums Res.STN. | Record high maximum temperature | 30.5 C (86.9 F) | 2.9 C (5.2 F) | 60 | 35 of 100 (Notable) |
| 2023-08-26 | Carnarvon Airport | Record high maximum temperature | 32.4 C (90.3 F) | 1.7 C (3.1 F) | 64 | 32 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-26 | Meekatharra Airport | Record high maximum temperature | 31.6 C (88.9 F) | 0.5 C (0.9 F) | 60 | 26 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-27 | Mullewa | Record high maximum temperature | 30.8 C (87.4 F) | 1.3 C (2.3 F) | 73 | 34 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-30 | Carnarvon Airport | Record high maximum temperature | 32.9 C (91.2 F) | 1.7 C (3.1 F) | 64 | 32 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-30 | Badgingarra Research STN | Record high maximum temperature | 26.4 C (79.5 F) | 3.3 C (5.9 F) | 50 | 32 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-31 | Cape Leeuwin | Record high maximum temperature | 24.2 C (75.6 F) | 3.1 C (5.6 F) | 77 | 49 of 100 (Notable) |
| 2023-08-31 | Pemberton | Record high maximum temperature | 24.5 C (76.1 F) | 3.9 C (7.0 F) | 64 | 40 of 100 (Notable) |
| 2023-08-31 | Dwellingup | Record high maximum temperature | 26.9 C (80.4 F) | 6.1 C (11.0 F) | 12 | 34 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-31 | Rottnest Island | Record high maximum temperature | 28.3 C (82.9 F) | 3.0 C (5.4 F) | 8 | 31 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-31 | Northam | Record high maximum temperature | 29.7 C (85.5 F) | 1.4 C (2.5 F) | 17 | 30 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-31 | Corrigin | Record high maximum temperature | 27.5 C (81.5 F) | 1.3 C (2.3 F) | 60 | 29 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-31 | Beverley | Record high maximum temperature | 28.8 C (83.8 F) | 1.4 C (2.5 F) | 29 | 28 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-31 | Narrogin | Record high maximum temperature | 24.7 C (76.5 F) | 0.8 C (1.4 F) | 50 | 28 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-31 | Wongan Hills | Record high maximum temperature | 32.4 C (90.3 F) | 2.2 C (4.0 F) | 17 | 27 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-08-31 | Brookton | Record high maximum temperature | 25.1 C (77.2 F) | 1.6 C (2.9 F) | 50 | 26 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-09-01 | Esperance | Record high maximum temperature | 30.8 C (87.4 F) | 5.2 C (9.4 F) | 33 | 28 of 100 (Routine) |
| 2023-09-01 | Kalgoorlie-Boulder Airport | Record high maximum temperature | 31.1 C (88.0 F) | 0.7 C (1.3 F) | 60 | 27 of 100 (Routine) |
The daily ledgers keep a limited number of records per day, so this list has 20 of the 117 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.