People queue for ice cream at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Thursday: Photo Saverio Marfia/Getty Images
Australia smashed its hottest day record just one day after it was set, preliminary findings from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) released Thursday show.
The big picture: The country has also experienced its worst ever spring for wildfire danger, the BOM said in a climate statement Wednesday.
- The driest spring on record has left more than 95% of Australia experiencing dangerous fire weather that has been above average, and much of the country is in severe drought.
- The historic heat wave comes as firefighters continue to fight wildfires across the country. The Australian state of New South Wales declared a seven-day state of emergency Thursday.
What they're saying: Blair Trewin, a senior climatologist with the BOM, said in a video posted to the agency's website that many areas would shatter hottest December records and perhaps even the hottest temperature for any time of the year, with Saturday forecast to be a particularly searing day.
Read the climate report:
Go deeper: In photos: Wildfires rage across Australia amid historic heat wave
Editor's note: This article has been updated to include the new temperature record details.