🔗 Share this article

Extreme heat and raging wildfires have devastated the dry landscape of Western Australia. With temperatures forecast to continue soaring above 40C (104F) over the next few days, a severe alert for extreme heat has been declared across a large portion of the southwestern region.

Broad Heatwave Alerts Throughout Multiple States

This situation come after recent bushfires in New South Wales, which caused the loss of homes and loss of life. Severe heat alerts have also 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 sunshine to a broad swath of the area.

The mix of tinder-dry vegetation and unbroken high temperatures creates a dangerous scenario for firefighters.

Global Climatic Events Cause Chaos

In another part of the world, a major city was left in darkness recently after powerful gusts damaged the urban power grid, with toppled trees bringing down power lines. The stormy weather also caused major travel disruption at a key airport, where numerous air services were grounded. Severe impact on electrical infrastructure is expected to cause further problems as service providers scramble to reconnect electricity to more than 1 million inhabitants.

Unusual Fog Blankets Sunny Area

At the same time, a region famed for its clear skies and abundant sunlight has endured one of its dullest and most overcast weeks on record. A particular form of fog, which usually lingers for only a short time, has been remarkably extensive and persistent this year, keeping temperatures at a major airport under 8C for more than a week – the longest such streak in more than three decades. The extended haze has been driven by unprecedented autumn precipitation that resulted in soils saturated.

• Primary Driver: Record fall rains saturated the ground.
• Result: Prolonged and thick fog formation.
• Impact: Temperatures stayed unseasonably low for an extended time.

Storm Brings Snow to Tourist Destination

Turning to another country, a powerful storm has ushered in intense rain, powerful gales and even snow to a set of islands – weather many would not connect with this popular tourist spot. While wintry precipitation is not unknown at elevated areas, the storm brought some of the heaviest snow depths in 2016 to a national park, forcing its closure.

Alongside the snow, strong northerly winds buffeted the island chain, with wind gusts reaching 50mph observed on multiple locations. The influence of the storm is expected to diminish this week with more seasonal weather taking hold.