Hottest temperatures Australia 2022, by location

As of December 2022, the highest recorded temperature in Australia was at Onslow Airport in Western Australia, where the temperature was **** degrees Celsius. This was matched by the highest temperature recorded at Oodnadatta Airport, South Australia, in 1960.

What is causing increasing temperatures?

The annual mean temperature deviation in the country has increased over the past century. In 2024, the annual national mean temperature was **** degrees Celsius above average. Climate experts agree that the major climate driver responsible for the heat experienced in Australia was a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). This is where sea surface temperatures are cooler in the eastern half of the Indian Ocean than the western half. The discrepancy in temperatures led to drier, warmer conditions across Australia. Global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions has been linked to the warming of sea surface temperatures and the IOD.

Social change

While the topic of global warming is undoubtedly controversial, many people perceive global warming as influencing Australia’s climate. In 2023, around ** percent of Australians believed climate change was occurring. Furthermore, around **** of Australians agreed that their government was not doing enough in terms of climate change action.