For the second time in two days, South Australia has obliterated its highest temperature ever recorded in winter, with a maximum of 39.4°C recorded at Oodnadatta on Saturday afternoon.

• On Friday, South Australia recorded its hottest winter temperature on record, also at Oodnadatta, when the mercury hit 38.5°C. That beat the old record by a whopping two degrees.
• These sorts of records are usually exceeded in small increments, so a two-degree jump on the old mark was extraordinary.
• To exceed the new record by almost another full degree the next day is nothing short of remarkable.

Image: Welcome to temperatures no one has ever measured in winter before. Source: iStock.

And Oodnadatta was not alone in setting records. Two other locations included:

• The town of Marree recorded 37.3°C, which was a winter record too. Before this week, its highest recorded winter temp was 34.9°C.
• Roxby Downs reached 36.1°C on Saturday, another winter record. Before this week, its highest recorded winter temperature was 34.6°C.

The unusually hot August airmass over Central Australia and northern SA has been caused by a stream of northwesterly winds flowing between a low pressure system centred over the Great Australian Bight and a high pressure system sitting over Queensland.

The heat will start to moderate on Sunday, and while Oodnadatta's likely maximum of 32°C will still be something 10 degrees above the long-term average August max of 22.3°C, it won't be in record-setting territory.

Located in the northern part of SA's North East Pastoral forecast district, Oodnadatta jointly holds the record (with Onslow in WA) of the hottest temp ever recorded in Australia in any season (50.7°C). Around 100 hardy souls call the town home.