Sydney, a popular City in Australia is harboring multiple wildfires across New South Wales, after breaking the all-time September heat record.
The intense heat is taking place as the regular climate phenomenon El Niño strengthens.
El Niño happens when the water temperatures near the equator of the eastern Pacific Ocean are elevated than the long-term historical average — and this can alter weather patterns around the globe.
Before the latest heat wave, the hottest it had been at the airport in September was 96 degrees F on Sept. 29, 2000, according to climate records from Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology.
On Tuesday, the city recorded 97 degrees F.
The hot weather produced severe conditions for athletes in the Sydney Marathon on Sunday, as more than two dozen people were taken to the hospital with heat-related illnesses.
“A strong area of high pressure has led to the intense heat,” AccuWeather lead international forecaster Jason Nicholls said.
The Sydney airport recorded its fourth consecutive day of temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit on Wednesday. It’s Spring for God’s sake!
“A cold front will lift northward and bring much cooler weather to Sydney and surrounding areas,” Nicholls said.
The New South Wales Rural Fire Service reported Wednesday evening that more than 70 wildfires were actively burning across the state, with 30 of those yet to be contained.
