Coober Pedy has just registered South Australia’s highest October temperature in nearly three decades as blustery winds whip up a huge dust storm in the state’s north.

Northerly winds strengthening ahead of an approaching cold front have caused a large pool of very hot air to spread through central Australia on Thursday.

The hottest place in the country on Thursday afternoon was Coober Pedy in the north of SA, where the temperature reached 43.7°C shortly before 3pm ACDT. This was the highest October temperature in SA since 1995.

Image: Observed minimum and maximum temperatures at Coober Pedy during the last five days.

Thursday’s hot, dry and blustery winds also kicked up a massive cloud of dust from Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre and carried it towards Marree and Leigh Creek. This dust storm was so large it could be seen clearly in satellite images.

Image: Visible satellite imagery showing dust blowing from Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre towards Marree on Thursday, October 17, 2024.

A fire weather warning has been issued in SA’s North East Pastoral and Flinders fire weather districts due to extreme fire danger in the hot, dry and windy weather.