Editing Simpson Desert (section)

==Climate==
The area has an extremely hot, dry [[desert climate]]. Rainfall is minimal, averaging only about 150&nbsp;mm per year and falling mainly in summer.<ref name="readersnatural">{{Cite book|title=Natural Wonders of the World|url=https://archive.org/details/naturalwondersof00sche|url-access=registration|publisher=Reader's Digest Association, Inc|year=1980|isbn=0-89577-087-3|editor-last=Scheffel|editor-first=Richard L.|location=United States of America|pages=[https://archive.org/details/naturalwondersof00sche/page/n347 344]–345|editor-last2=Wernet|editor-first2=Susan J.}}</ref> The average summer temperature in the desert is 28 degrees Celsius and it can go as high as 50 degrees. Large [[sand storm]]s are common. Winters are generally cool, but heatwaves even in the middle of July are not unheard of.

Some of the heaviest rain in decades occurred during 2009–2010, and caused the Simpson Desert to burst into life and colour. In early March 2010, Birdsville recorded more rain in 24 hours than is usual in a whole year. Rain inundated Queensland's north-west and Gulf regions. In total, 17 million megalitres of water entered the State's western river systems, leading to [[Lake Eyre]].<ref>Quentin Chester (13 April 2010). [http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/simpson-desert-the-fertile-desert.htm Simpson Desert bursts with life] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110402230933/http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/simpson-desert-the-fertile-desert.htm |date=2 April 2011 }}. Australian Geographic.</ref> In 2010, researchers uncovered the courses of ancient river systems under the desert.<ref>James Glenday. (10 March 2010). [https://archive.today/20120721220632/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/10/2841740.htm Ancient river courses found below Simpson Desert]. ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.</ref>