Latest reports suugest that Perth baked through a record-breaking seventh 40C-plus February day on Monday as Western Australia’s extreme heatwave saw the state lock up the top 15 hottest places in the world over a 24-hour period.
Recall that On Sunday, Carnarvon, close to mainland Australia’s most westerly point, reached 49.9C, becoming the second highest temperature ever recorded in Australia in February and the country’s equal eighth highest temperature on record, according to Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino.
Perth was reported to have hit 42.3C on Monday afternoon, bringing the number of days above 40C this month to seven – well beyond the previous record of four days, set in February 2016. Geraldton exceeded predications, reaching a top of 47.7C in the early afternoon.
The state has suffered severe heatwaves for three weeks, with the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) issuing an extreme heatwave warning on Friday and extending it until Wednesday. Parts of WA’s west and north are worst affected.
The heat has also prompted bushfire warnings along WA’s south-west coast, with Cervantes primary school and Jurien Bay District high school closed on Monday due to the increased bushfire risk. No major bushfires were burning as of mid-morning on Monday, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services said.
“It’s been a long, hot slog for the folks in the western part of the state,” Jess Lingard, of the weather bureau, said.
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Heatwave conditions are said to have been driven by three “relentless” west coast troughs which deliver warm and dry air, she said. The consecutive troughs have been prevented from moving east and making way for cooler conditions as usual.
“The troughs sat on the coast for close to a week each, as opposed to the normal one day. I liken it to an atmospheric traffic jam,” Lingard said.
The heat is also expected to peak on Tuesday when much of the western part of the state will reach 46C and 47C. Agricultural areas inland from Perth will top 45C, the bureau forecast. With consistently high temperatures around the clock, the heatwaves are taking their toll, Lingard said.
“It’s rough. We’re seeing very, very warm temperatures at night – we really need the nighttimes to be cool in order to allow the body to recover. These super warm nights make it really tricky,” she said.
The El Niño weather pattern, climate change and the Indian Ocean dipole all play a part in the heatwaves, she said. Record-breaking weather – from sweltering heat to extreme rainfall – across Australia has been caused by a “perfect storm” of events, climate scientists say.
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
