Town in remote northwest equals nation’s hottest temp

A town in the northwest of Australia reached a searing 50.7 degrees Celsius on Thursday, equalling the hottest temperature reliably recorded in the country. The temperature reading in the coastal town of Onslowin Western Australia’s Pilbara regionwas the same as that recorded 62 years ago – on January 2, 1960 – in the remote outback South Australian town of Oodnadatta. Two other places in the Pilbara region – the town of Roebourne and an area called Mardie – both reached 50.5C on Thursday, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology reported. Those readings equalled the second-warmest temperature recorded in Australia, whichwas at Mardie on February 19, 1998.