Day and night, there’s no relief: five ways this heatwave is one of Australia’s worst on record

Soaring temperatures, heat at altitude and hot summer nights combine to create one of south-eastern Australia's most significant' heatwaves

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Heatwaves and hot days during an Australian summer may seem unremarkable. Days spent at the beach, sunburn and mosquitoes are part of the national psyche, along with outback pubs serving crisp lager as relief from searing afternoon heat.

But when the opal mining town of Andamooka (population 262) in the far north of South Australia reached 50 degrees on Thursday, it was only the eighth time in recorded history anywhere in Australia.