Millions warned as oppressive heatwave, bushfires, thunderstorms grip nation
Millions of Aussies are bracing for a perfect storm of extreme heat and dry thunderstorms, with temperatures climbing into the 40s just days after fires ripped through multiple homes.
Bushfires could once again threaten Aussie lives as heatwave conditions combine with elevated winds to spark warnings.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned that NSW residents will continue to face high fire danger on Tuesday, coming off the back of a weekend of blazes which destroyed at least 20 homes over the weekend.
“A hot day returns to the state, temperatures reaching the high thirties to low forties across the north, parts of the east coast as well, including parts of the Hunter and Sydney Metro,” meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said.
“Sydney is looking at a maximum of just 31C degrees, but across the western suburbs, in places like Penrith, we could see temperatures hitting the high thirties, possible even 40C degrees there.”
“Those dry, hot conditions are going to drive high fire dangers through many of our eastern and inland districts.
Tuesday’s heatwave conditions will also mix with the potential for dry thunderstorms and lightning, making matters worse.
“We could see a few thunderstorms develop across the northeast of the state through tomorrow afternoon, but they’ll be fairly dry,” Ms Bradbury said.
“A southerly wind change will move up the south coast and toward the Sydney metro area during the afternoon, bringing a little bit of cloud and the slight chance of a shower.
Over the weekend, firefighters tackled an enormous fire burning through the Koolewong, Phegans Bay and Woy Woy Bay areas, which has ripped through more than 129 hectares of land.
Thick smoke has blanketed the Woy Woy area after the catastrophic fires burned over the weekend.
In Queensland, wet and wild weather will make way for hot and mostly dry conditions on Tuesday.
Temperatures will reach the high thirties and low forties in the inland and western parts of the state, while the mercury will hover around the low to mid thirties along the entire east coast.
While the day will be dry for the majority of the state, Ms Bradbury warns that there is the chance of thunderstorms popping up in “many areas”.
“For the most part though, any storms tomorrow will be isolated and dry and non-severe, although we could see some gusty winds across inland areas,” she said.
“Fresh and gusty westerly winds” are expected to continue in Tasmania, which has also been battling blazes.
At least 19 homes have been destroyed and 14 others have sustained damage across Dolphin Sands as strong winds combine with dry conditions, creating ideal circumstances for fires to spread.
The threat of further destruction is not easing yet, as more destructive north-westerly winds are expected to smash the east coast on Monday.
The winds are expected to die down on Tuesday, but Tasmanians will have to continue with averages of 50-60 km/h with “damaging” gusts of up to 100km/h also possible.
“Unfortunately that’s in the same areas where we’ve had those ongoing fires late last week, so that’s going to be of concern today,” Mr Narramore told NewsWire.
Victoria will welcome the warm this week as temperatures sizzle in the state, before another cool change drags the mercury back down.
“Pretty mild and settled week for Victoria,” Mr Narramore said.
It’s not just the east coast subjected to gruelling heat this week, as a severe heatwave warning settles over Western Australia.
The bureau has issued an extreme heatwave warning for the Kimberley region and severe warning for the Pilbara and North Interior, as the mercury is forecast to exceed the mid 40s this week.
Areas impacted include Balgo Hill, Fitzroy Crossing, Karratha, Marble Bar and Port Hedland.
As for Perth, residents can expect more sunshine and heat as temperatures climb to the low 30s all week.
“Severe to extreme heatwave conditions in northern WA today and (Tuesday), (which) will kind of ease, but then spread south and eastwards across much of inland Australia during the week,” Mr Narramore said.
“Some of that heat will then pull down into southeastern Australia by the end of the week as well.”
Some South Australians will swelter thought a “very” hot day on Tuesday and into the week with temperatures to hit the low forties across inland and northern areas.
While the southern parts of the state will be cooler, temperatures are up to two degrees higher than the December average in Adelaide.
Originally published as Millions warned as oppressive heatwave, bushfires, thunderstorms grip nation
