Record high temperatures in Australia - runaway global warming

I have pretty much given up on extreme weather stories but this I will cover as an illustration that runaway global warming is with us.

I have removed all the pictures of bikini-clad women that inevitably accompany such articles

Freak' heatwave saw temperatures soar by 5C in THREE minutes at midnight on Tuesday - as chart shows Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra were among the hottest places on the planet

• Parts of Australia brace for another day of record high temperatures, reaching a scorching 38 degrees
• Sydney sweated through its hottest December night on record on Tuesday with a low of 27.1C
• Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide suffered through the hottest December day on record since 1972
• On Tuesday at midday local time Sydney was the hottest city in the world followed by Adelaide
• Temperatures peaked at 40.1 degrees in Hay, south-west New South Wales, the state hit worst by the heat
• Fires have broken out in the NSW Hunter region with residents being told it's 'too late to leave their homes'

Daily Mail,

14 December, 2016

The 'freak' heatwave sweeping Australia caused temperatures to soar by five degrees in just three minutes at midnight on what was the hottest December evening on record in Sydney.

The heat event, which has seen the mercury rise well above 30 degrees in many parts of the country, is expected to break on Wednesday leading to a much cooler Thursday.

However at midday on Tuesday at the height of the heatwave, four out of the five hottest major cities in the world at that point in time were in Australia.

Of the five hottest cities in the world at midday Sydney time on Tuesday, five were in Australia due to the 'freak' heatwave

Sydney topped the list, followed by Adelaide and Darwin.

The fourth hottest major city in the world at that time was Buenos Aires, while Canberra was the fifth warmest. Twelfth on the list was Melbourne.

It comes after Sydney sweated through the hottest December night in 148 years on Tuesday evening, with a low of 27.1C overnight, down from 39C during the day. 

Around midnight temperatures rose by five degrees in just three minutes in parts of NSW including Albion Park near Wollongong.

Here temperatures rose ten degrees in the hour after midnight, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. 

On Wednesday temperatures soared once again, and just after 6am Sydney CBD was already sitting just above 27C. 

Forecasters have dubbed the extreme temperatures a 'heat wave', and it's not difficult to understand why. 

Sydneysiders had a humid night as temperatures failed to drop below 28 degrees.  

WHAT DOES THE WEDNESDAY FORECAST LOOK LIKE?

Sydney: Low of 25, high of 38 

Darwin: Low of 26, high of 34 

Brisbane: Low of 24, high of 30

Melbourne: Low of 16, high of 21 

Hobart: Low of 11, high of 16 

Perth: Low of 14, high of 29 

Adelaide: Low of 15, high of 23

Canberra: Low of 21, high of 29 

Temperatures reached a maximum of 29 degrees on December 14 last year, but are expected to soar to 38 degrees in Sydney on December 14 this year - a staggering nine degrees warmer. 

Wednesday's 38 degree forecast is well above December's 'normal' temperature which is just 24 degrees in Sydney.

And while Sydney-siders won't get their reprieve from the scorching temperatures, a shower is forecast to relieve the stifling heat in the late afternoon.

But while Sydney will face dangerously hot weather again on Wednesday, the rest of Australia should expect less severe temperatures.

Brisbane will see a high of 30 degrees and Melbourne should only reach 21 degrees maximum.

Perth is expected to reach a maximum of 29 degrees, and Hobart a top of just 16.

Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Hobart should all see drastic temperature drops of up to 13 degrees. 

Canberra should reach 29 degrees and Adelaide just 23 degrees. 

Most cities across Australia are expecting a massive drop in temperatures on Wednesday, all but Sydney.

Darwin however will also suffer through scorching temperatures, reaching 34 degrees maximum. 

But the high temperatures are not uncommon for the north Australian region, which has a mean maximum temperature of 32 degrees. 

Sydneysiders migrated to the water during Tuesday's heatwave, but if forecasts are to be believed, beaches will see almost as much foot traffic on Wednesday.

Most cities across Australia are expecting a massive drop in temperatures on Wednesday, all but Sydney.

Darwin however will also suffer through scorching temperatures, reaching 34 degrees maximum. 

But the high temperatures are not uncommon for the north Australian region, which has a mean maximum temperature of 32 degrees. 

Sydneysiders migrated to the water during Tuesday's heatwave, but if forecasts are to be believed, beaches will see almost as much foot traffic on Wednesday.

A hot air mass moving across Australia's south-east will cause the mercury to hit 34 in parts of the country on Tuesday (pictured)