temperature · Australia
Onslow, Western Australia
January peak daily maximum
Modelled demonstration series · not observed data
The Pilbara is where Australia's heat records live, and it is also where a large share of the country's iron ore comes out of the ground. Readings at this level force outdoor work to stop, which turns a weather statistic into an export statistic. Very few people, very large consequences.
75 years, modelled
Same reading, two normals
| Normal | Mean | σ | Pct | Return |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1951–1980 | 45.2 °C | +1.10σ | 86th | 1 in 7.4 years |
| 1991–2020 | 46.6 °C | +0.10σ | 54th | 1 in 2.2 years |
Today would rank 19 of 76 for highest value in the modelled series. Nothing about the reading changes between rows — only the yardstick.
Documented real-world record · well documented
50.7 °C — 13 January 2022
Onslow Airport reached 50.7 °C, equalling Australia's national heat record set at Oodnadatta, South Australia in January 1960.
The season here
Pilbara summer. Extreme heat here needs an offshore wind — the sea breeze failing is what makes the difference between 45 and 50.
Where this series comes from
MODELLED SERIES — not observed. Parameters set from published Pilbara coastal January climatology. The 75 annual values are synthesised. The real-world record cited separately is documented and is NOT part of this modelled series.
Every number on this page comes from a modelled series: 75 annual values synthesised by a seeded generator from published climatological parameters for Onslow, Western Australia. It shows how anomaly reasoning works. It is not a measurement and must not be cited as one.
How to read σ
σ counts standard deviations from this place's own normal. The sigma guide · return periods.
More temperature stations
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