The “Bulletin’s” Winton correspondent, recovered now from the terrific heat of recent months, has
\nbeen delving into heat records in Queensland “Of course, nobody who lived through the heat wave in Winton in January-February. 1944, will forget it in & hurry,” he says. “And, to the writer, who remembers the excessive heat here over 50 years ago, the recent visitation recalled the time when birds throughout the town and district fell dead from the trees from sheer exhaustion by the hundred (this is no exaggeration), while some flew into the dwellings and business premises and perched on the rafters to escape the scorching winds. This also caused high mortality among other members of the feathered tribe (fowls), and four persons died of heat apoplexy during the period under review.
\nFrom memory, official shade temperatures averaged about 120 degrees for at least a week,but unfortunately “Winton Herald” files of those years were destroyed by fire.
\nAs the result of inquiries from an authoritative source it is learned that Cloncurry holds the distinction for the highest registration for Queensland, with 127.5 degrees on 17th January, 1889. The maximum registration for Winton. it is stated is 123.2 degrees, on 4th December, 1888. and that month was responsible for other high temperatures, ranging from 110 to 120 degrees, and for one whole week
\nexceeded 115 degrees.”<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.realclimaterecords.com.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/heatwavesandtemperaturethu27apr1944-300x224.png\")
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