Sydney records hottest July as unseasonably warm weather set to persist across most of Australia

Four of Australia’s eight major cities were expected to hit or exceed 20C on Monday, including Brisbane, where the temperature was forecast to reach 27C. Photograph: Zac Goodwin/PA

Sydney has recorded its hottest July beating the previous mark set in 2018, according to a senior meteorologist.

By mid-afternoon on Monday, each of the eastern state capital cities had topped their forecasts by a degree or more. Sydney’s 23.5C was enough to have elevated July’s average maximum above the previous record of 19.89C set in 2018, Ben Domensino, a senior Weatherzone meteorologist said. Data at Observatory Hill goes back to 1858.