A severe heatwave in Australia led to daily temperatures exceeding 40C (104F) for vast swathes of the country over the weekend, with the Pilbara region in Western Australia particularly badly affected.
After peaking at 47.9C on Saturday, in the remote town of Paraburdoo, Sunday’s highest confirmed temperature at the time of writing was 48.3C, at Onslow airport on the western coast. Onslow is also the joint record holder for Australia’s highest-ever recorded temperature, having reached 50.7C in January 2022. This record could be under threat as the heatwave continues into Monday and Tuesday, with daily maximums of 50-51C possible in the same region.
Heavy rainfall has also been hitting part of Australia’s Northern Territory, due to an area of low pressure stagnating over the region for the past week. Since 13 January, more than 100mm of rain has been recorded in the state almost every day, including an impressive 334.8mm at Port Keats on 15 January.
Several areas have been hit by far beyond their usual January rainfall, particularly in central parts of the state. The town of Tennant Creek, which had Saturday’s highest rainfall total of 110mm, there has been 290mm since the new year, compared with the typical 50-100mm for the whole of January.
Resultant flooding has blocked roads and railways, prompting supermarkets in more remote areas to impose restrictions on some products as fresh supplies run short. The town of Kalkarinji was badly flooded, with electricity, water and mobile phone coverage cut off, while artefacts and artworks at the local Aboriginal cultural centre were moved to a safe place.
In the coming week, the low pressure system is expected to drift westwards across northern parts of Western Australia, towards the areas enduring the heatwave. While the respite in temperature and reduced risk of bush fires will be welcome, the impressive rainfall is forecast continue. The system is likely to leave 24-hour totals of at least 100mm in its wake each day until Friday, with the potential for even 300-400mm later in the week.
Meanwhile, a tropical low has developed in the Coral Sea to the north-east of Australia. This is expected to strengthen to a cyclone and hit the coast of Queensland later this week. The storm, which will be named Kirrily, could bring sustained winds of 80-100mph. Exact details on its strength and location of landfall are unclear this far in advance.
