Queensland
In 2023, the frequency of hot days (defined as days when maximum temperatures exceed 35°C) was higher than average at some inland locations. For example:
- Birdsville recorded 156 days (27 days above the long-term average)
- Longreach recorded 128 days (four days above the long-term average)
- Charleville recorded 99 days (34 days above the long-term average).
Hot days are common in inland Queensland.
- Locations such as Birdsville, Boulia and Longreach all average at least 120 hot days a year.
- In summer, these areas can experience hot days for weeks — Longreach recorded 175 hot days in 2002.
Hot days on Queensland’s eastern seaboard are comparatively low.
- Mackay and Brisbane, for example, average fewer than five hot days per year.
Long-term variability and trends
A statewide assessment of the long-term trend in the frequency of hot days per year is complicated because of:
- the impact of site changes
- incomplete station datasets
- the low number of high-quality recording sites where data is available.
However, a preliminary analysis for Birdsville indicates that hot days have been more frequent this century than before 2000. Birdsville also experienced its highest number of hot days on record in 2015 and 2018, with 159 days each year.
In 2019, Charleville recorded its highest frequency of hot days, totalling 118 days. Similarly, Gayndah had its highest frequency of hot days in 2019, with 75 days.
