Fire, dust and rain expected across the nation

A catastrophic fire danger, dust storms, wind and rain – that’s all happening this week as Australia prepares for extreme weather conditions.

Australia can expect wild weather next week, with catastrophic fire conditions, dust storms, wind and rain all on the cards.

Western Australia will see extreme to catastrophic fire dangers across its inland parts on Monday.

The same winds that could whip up blazes across grass and shrub lands are also expected to blow dust storms across the plains.

“They’re bad conditions. It’s going to be hot and it’s going to be dusty,” Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Dean Narramore said.

A firefighter battles a blaze at Yanchep in WA during last summer’s bushfires. This week could see dangerous fire conditions across the state. Picture: Evan Collis

Meanwhile, the state’s southwestern corner will feel a cold front moving through, bringing rain and strong winds.

That same cold front will move east in the following days, with rain and gusty winds likely across the inland parts of Victoria, NSW and Queensland, before moving towards the Northern Territory where thunderstorms could also be part of the picture.

Towards the end of the week, the east coast will be stormy from Sydney all the way to the top end of the NT.

Queenslanders can expect a stormy week ahead. Picture: Nigel Hallett

NEW SOUTH WALES AND ACT

NSW and Canberra will see a warm, sunny start to the week but a stormy end. Temperatures will be in the low to mid 30s in the early part of the week, and in the inland parts those temperatures will stay. The coast, though, will cool down towards the end of the week.

QUEENSLAND

Queenslanders can expect a week of storms and rain. It will be hot every day, with the mercury rising to the low to mid 30s.

VICTORIA

A warm and sunny start to the week will give way to a stormy change by midweek. Expect temperatures in the mid 20s to low 30s on Monday and Tuesday, after which it will be a few degrees cooler.

TASMANIA

Tasmania will have a warm and sunny start to the week, with wetter and colder conditions coming from Wednesday and onwards. The early days will see temperatures in the mid 20s to low 30s, and high teens to low 20s towards the end of the week.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

WA will see a wild Monday with strong winds, hot air and dangerous fire risks. By midweek, those conditions will ease. Those early days will see temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s, which will cool down towards the mid 20s to low 30s by the end of the week.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The start of the week, especially Tuesday, will be hot and windy. Temperatures could spike to the low 40s in the beginning of the week, only to cool down to the mid 20s to low 30s from the middle of the week.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

The NT will cop severe heatwave conditions at the start of the week, especially in the northern parts. Storms will increase later. Temperatures will remain in the 30s throughout the week.