Australia records joint hottest day on record at over 50C

Australia has recorded its joint-hottest day on record after the temperature hit a whopping 50.7C in Western Australia.

The scorching temperature of 123.26F was recorded at Onslow airport in the Pilbara region of the state on Thursday at 2.26pm local time.

Temperatures have only surpassed the 50C mark three times in history prior to Thursday, including on consecutive days in January 1960 when it also reached 50.7C in South Australia.

The average temperature at this time of year is 36.5C, a sign of the marked increase in the area.

Roebourne airport and Mardie, also in Western Australia, also saw the mercury pass 50C on a day of unrelenting heat in the region.

The state has suffered from a heatwave in recent days, resulting in the ferocious temperatures on Thursday.

One of the reasons behind the increase in temperature is being explained by a lack of thunderstorms which would normally cause the atmosphere to cool.

It is thought Friday could be even hotter.