The Bureau of Meteorology upgraded the forecast for Katherine overnight to tip 43 degree days for both today and tomorrow.

The run of 42 degree days is expected to continue right through to the end of the 7-day forecast period, next Thursday.

No surprise that Katherine has a record December maximum today of 41.7 degrees after beating the old record by 0.1 about 4pm yesterday.

This record is expected to fall further as the heatwave continues.

The long dry spell is expected to continue.

For the carols tomorrow night, the scorching 43 degrees is expected to fall to 27 degrees as night falls.

Weather experts are laying the blame for Katherine's heatwave squarely on climate change.

Katherine already had a record heatwave last month with 16 consecutive days of above 40 degree maximums.

It has been a year of heat records, Katherine recorded its hottest March day with 39.2 degrees this year as well.

There has been little relief as temperatures fell back to high 30's and the rain continues to stay away.

Rainfall for the first 11 months of 2019 across the Northern Territory was the second lowest on record with only 1961 being drier.

Katherine has recorded 565mm so far this year against the average 1080mm.

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