Heatwave horror: Geraldton swelters in hottest February day in 39 years as the most searing place in the world

The Mid West was the hottest place in the world on Friday, with Geraldton experiencing a scorching peak of 46.8C to end a record-breaking heatwave this week.

Friday’s maximum made it the hottest February day in the city for 39 years.

Hot on the heels of two sweltering days of 45.9C on Wednesday and 46.5C on Thursday, Friday’s temperature was only 0.5C shy of the all-time February record for Geraldton of 47.3C record on February 20, 1985.

Thursday’s high of 46.5C set the record as the second hottest February day, until Friday rolled around and stole its thunder.

The Mid West was deemed the hottest region in the world for Friday, according to Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Bob Parr, who said it was soaring above parts of Africa and the rest of Australia.

The hottest place in the Mid West on Friday was Eradu, west of Mullewa, which recorded a high of 48C.

With the help of SPF 50+, wide-brimmed hats and some hard-working air-conditioning, Geraldton residents combated the heatwave, with a cool change tipped for the weekend, with 31C for Saturday and 26C on Sunday.

The hottest day on record for Geraldton in January was set on January 11, 2014 when temperatures reached 45.8C, but on Wednesday January 31, Geraldton tipped over to set a new benchmark of 45.9C.

The extreme heat kept the majority of people indoors, with city streets noticeably quieter and beaches and the foreshore resembling a ghost town.

It was a baptism of fire in more ways than one for the thousands of children starting the 2024 school year this week in scorching heatwave conditions.

In Geraldton, the average maximum temperature in February is 32.8C.

Mr Huntington said there had been persistent heat recorded for some time but the heat was only just hitting the coast.

He said an offshore trough carried hot north-easterly winds from the Pilbara down the coast and a delayed sea breeze contributed to the spike in temperature on Wednesday afternoon.

While the office workers of Geraldton stayed cool thanks to air-conditioning, spare a thought for Rob Dines and his team at Ocean Air, an air-conditioning installation and service company.

“When 40,000 people turn their air-cons on during a heatwave, there’s always going to be the unlucky ones who figure out it’s not working,” Mr Dines, the managing director, said.

During summer, Ocean Air and the 12-man team on the road are working from Dongara up to Northampton.

“We’re probably installing a dozen and repairing around 20 every day. But it’s like chalk and cheese compared to winter,” he said.

During summer, Mr Dines has to monitor the forecast to prioritise tasks to ensure they have enough manpower to reach everyone in dire need of an air-con repair.

“It’s feeling a lot busier than last year, we’re certainly seeing growth year on year, but you can really feel the difference this year,” he said.

Dave Chapman, a contractor with Ocean Air, said the work was consistent from October onwards, but February and March were some of the busiest months in the business.