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Extreme heat and intense bushfires have devastated the parched landscape of Western Australia. As mercury levels forecast to continue climbing above 40C (104F) over the next few days, a major alert for extreme heat has been issued across much of the southwestern region.

Broad Extreme Heat Warnings Throughout the Region

These conditions follow recent fires in another state, which caused the destruction of properties and fatalities. Intense heat alerts have also been issued for later this week in parts of South Australia and NSW, as a ridge of atmospheric pressure shifts eastward, delivering blazing heat to a broad swath of the region.

The combination of tinder-dry land and unbroken heat presents a volatile situation for firefighters.

Global Climatic Events Cause Disruption

In another part of the world, a metropolis was plunged into blackout recently after powerful gusts compromised the urban power grid, with falling trees knocking out electricity cables. The stormy weather also led to significant transport delays at a major airport, where hundreds of flights were grounded. Severe impact on electrical infrastructure is expected to cause ongoing problems as service providers scramble to reconnect electricity to more than 1 million residents.

Unusual Fog Covers Sunny Region

At the same time, a valley known 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 lasts for only a few days, has been remarkably extensive and long-lasting this year, keeping temperatures at a major airport below 8C for over a week – the most prolonged period in over three decades. The prolonged fog has been driven by unprecedented autumn precipitation that resulted in soils saturated.

• Primary Driver: Record autumn rainfall soaked the ground.
• Result: Prolonged and thick mist formation.
• Impact: Thermal readings remained unseasonably low for an lengthy period.

Storm Brings Snow to Holiday Islands

Turning to another country, a weather system has ushered in intense rainfall, strong winds and even snow to a group of islands – conditions many would not associate with this popular holiday destination. While wintry precipitation is not unknown at elevated areas, the system delivered some of the deepest snow depths in 2016 to a protected area, forcing its temporary shutdown.

Alongside the snowfall, strong winds from the north buffeted the archipelago, with gusts exceeding 50mph recorded on multiple locations. The influence of the storm is expected to diminish this week with more seasonal weather taking hold.