🔗 Share this article

Extreme heat and intense wildfires have swept through the dry landscape of Western Australia. As temperatures forecast to continue soaring above 40C (104F) over the next few days, a major alert for extreme heat has been issued across a large portion of the south-west.

Broad Heatwave Alerts Across the Region

These conditions come after this month's fires in New South Wales, which caused the loss of homes and loss of life. Intense heatwave warnings have additionally been issued for the coming days in areas within SA and New South Wales, as a system of atmospheric pressure moves to the east, bringing intense heat to a broad swath of the region.

The combination of extremely dry land and relentless high temperatures creates a volatile situation for firefighters.

Worldwide Weather Extremes Cause Chaos

Elsewhere, a major city was plunged into blackout recently after strong gusts compromised the urban power grid, with falling trees bringing down power lines. The stormy weather also caused significant transport delays at a major airport, where numerous flights were grounded. Severe impact on electrical infrastructure is anticipated to create further problems as service providers scramble to restore power to more than 1 million residents.

Unusual Fog Blankets Typically Clear Area

At the same time, a valley famed for its clear skies and abundant sunshine has experienced one of its dullest and most overcast periods on recorded history. A particular form of low cloud, which usually lingers for only a few days, has been unusually widespread and long-lasting this year, holding the mercury at a major airport below 8C for over a week – the longest such streak in more than three decades. The extended fog has been driven by exceptional autumn rainfall that resulted in the ground waterlogged.

• Primary Driver: Exceptional fall rains soaked the ground.
• Result: Extended and thick mist formation.
• Impact: Temperatures remained unseasonably low for an extended period.

Storm Delivers Wintry Weather to Holiday Islands

Turning to another country, a weather system has brought intense rainfall, powerful winds and even snow to a group of islands – weather many would not associate with this popular tourist spot. While wintry precipitation is not unknown at higher ground, the system delivered some of the deepest accumulations since 2016 to a national park, compelling its closure.

Alongside the snowfall, strong northerly winds buffeted the island chain, with gusts exceeding 50mph recorded on several islands. The influence of the storm is expected to diminish this week with more typical weather taking hold.