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.
Perth 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 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.
Heatwave conditions 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 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.
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.
Carnarvon’s 49.9°C on Sunday was the 2nd highest temperature ever recorded in Australia during February and the country’s equal 8th highest temperature on record. pic.twitter.com/JsDwyoUdNT
— Ben Domensino (@Ben_Domensino) February 18, 2024
Carnarvon’s new record is 2.1C above the town’s old record, set on 20 Jan 2015. The same day set a record for Shark Bay which was also toppled on Sunday when the temperature hit 49.8C – a full 2.5C higher than the record.
“When you take into account the geography of Shark Bay – it is on a peninsula, surrounded by water – to get to nearly 50C is incredible,” Lingard said. “Usually, records are broken by small amounts. To smash the old record by 2.5C – it is outstanding.”
The highest temperature ever recorded in Australia in February was 50.5C in Mardie in WA on 19 February 1998. Lingard said the state’s interior temperature would have exceeded 50C “without a doubt” on Sunday, but that data is limited by the locations of recording stations.
Sunday's record February heat in Western Australia included large regions recording at least 45C. (Source: @bom_au ) pic.twitter.com/pCjhgXwAwN
— @phannam@mastodon.green (@p_hannam) February 19, 2024
A total fire ban covers a stretch of coastal WA from the south of Margaret River to the north of Geraldton and inland to the east of Mount Palmer.
A storm warning has been issued in the Ord River region with severe weather forecast for parts of the Kimberley.
