🔗 Share this article

Extreme heat and raging bushfires have swept through the dry landscape of Western Australia. As mercury levels expected to persist soaring above 40C (104F) over the coming days, a severe alert for extreme heat has been declared across much of the southwestern region.

Widespread Extreme Heat Alerts Throughout Multiple States

This situation come after this month's bushfires in another state, which resulted in the destruction of properties and fatalities. Intense heat alerts have also been activated for later this week in areas within South Australia and NSW, as a ridge of high pressure shifts to the east, bringing intense sunshine to much of the region.

The mix of extremely dry land and unbroken heat presents a dangerous scenario for firefighters.

Worldwide Weather Extremes Trigger Disruption

Elsewhere, a major city was left in darkness last week after strong winds damaged the city’s electrical network, with falling trees knocking out power lines. The weather conditions also led to significant transport delays at a major airport, where hundreds of flights were grounded. Severe impact on electrical infrastructure is anticipated to create ongoing problems as service providers work urgently to restore power to over 1 million residents.

Atypical Fog Covers Sunny Area

At the same time, a valley famed for its clear skies and abundant sunlight has experienced one of its dullest and most overcast weeks on record. A specific type of low cloud, which usually lingers for only a short time, has been remarkably extensive and long-lasting this year, keeping the mercury at a key transport hub under 8C for over a week – the longest such streak in over three decades. The extended haze has been driven by exceptional fall precipitation that resulted in soils waterlogged.

• Primary Driver: Exceptional autumn rainfall saturated the soil.
• Outcome: Prolonged and thick fog formation.
• Effect: Temperatures remained unseasonably low for an extended time.

Severe Weather Brings Wintry Weather to Holiday Destination

Turning to another country, a powerful storm has ushered in intense rain, strong winds and even snowfall to a group of islands – weather many would not associate with this favored tourist spot. While wintry precipitation is not unheard of at higher ground, the storm brought some of the heaviest accumulations in 2016 to a national park, compelling its temporary shutdown.

In addition to the snow, strong northerly winds buffeted the archipelago, with gusts reaching 50mph recorded on several islands. The effect of the weather event is expected to diminish this week with more seasonal conditions taking hold.