Southern Hemisphere – 50.7 degrees – Southern Hemisphere heat record equaled

While it is currently bitterly cold in Switzerland and temperatures of almost -30 degrees were measured on Wednesday night, Australia and South America are experiencing heat waves with some over 50 degrees. As Meteonews writes, the previously unbeaten record temperature of 50.7 degrees was again measured at the Onslow Airport station in western Australia.

The 50-degree mark has only been broken three times since 1960. The temperature of 50.7 degrees was first reached in Oodnatta on January 2, 1960 and has never been surpassed. Although the current measurement did not break the old record from 62 years ago, it is still a first in a way. Onslow is on the coast of western Australia. This figure is the highest global temperature ever recorded at a coastal location. Previously, Port Augusta topped the rankings with 49.5 degrees and is also in Australia.

Although heat in the summer in Australia, as in South America, is nothing surprising, such high temperatures are also unusual for these regions. The last recorded temperature over 50 degrees in Australia was 24 years ago. Today the pointers at the weather stations moved in this area three times.

South America has not yet reached a new high. However, the heat is expected to peak by Saturday and could break a number of records. It would be the first time since 1905, or 1936, depending on which reports you believe. In any case, the last heat record was a long time ago, longer than, for example, the invention of the shopping trolley or Nescafé in 1937.

After the weekend, the heat wave in South America is expected to level off again and be replaced by precipitation and thunderstorms. The figures from the Belgrano polar station in Antarctica are somewhat colder, but no less impressive. Here the temperatures in January are usually just above 0 degrees. This year the station measured 11.4 degrees, which was the highest temperature since measurements began.

Globally, it can be said that the contrasts between temperatures are increasing. It was comparatively much too warm in the northern hemisphere. When it then gets cold, the temperatures are extremely low, as is currently the case in Canada, for example. The stations measure temperatures of -50 degrees in numerous places. And where would you rather live? 50 degrees plus, or 50 degrees minus?