While it may be bitterly cold in the south, heat records have been tumbling in northern Australia this weekend.

Yampi Sound in Western Australia’s Kimberley region may have just taken the Australian August record for the hottest maximum temperature. Yampi Sound reached a sweat-inducing 40.7 degrees on Saturday. If validated, this will beat out the previous Australian record set on 27th August 1970 at Kalumburu of 40.0 degrees. West Roebuck has also beat the previous record on Sunday, reaching 40.4 degrees.

Some other long-standing records have also been busted. Broome has recorded its hottest August day in 123 years of records on Sunday, by reaching a searing 38.6 degrees. Port Hedland in the WA Pilbara region heated to a scorching 37.0 degrees on Sunday, making it its hottest August day in 102 years of records.

Image: Observed temperatures on Sunday afternoon

Several other locations in the Pilbara and Kimberley have also had their hottest August days in at least 15 years including Derby (39.3 degrees on Saturday), Fitzroy Crossing (39.3 degrees on Sunday), and Mount Elizabeth (36.4 degrees on Friday).

Heat will continue to build this week so it is very possible that these temperatures and records could be eclipsed once again, particularly on Wednesday and Thursday in the Pilbara.