WA experiences extreme weather yet again with scorching heat and cyclone predicted

Perth has now reached the 40C-mark on seven days so far this month. (ABC News: Kenith Png)

Residents in parts of Western Australia are sweltering through another scorching day after record-breaking temperatures left one town the hottest place on earth.

Perth’s CBD reached 41.3 degrees Celsius on Monday afternoon, and Geraldton in the Mid West hit 47.7C.

The Swan Valley hit 45C just before 2pm, with temperatures at the Pearce air base reached 46.1C.

Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Darren Klemm said the state was facing extreme bushfire conditions on Tuesday.

“Hot, dry and windy conditions will spark the most dangerous bushfire conditions we’ve seen since the new fire danger rating system was introduced in September 2022,” he said.

“Aircraft, additional firefighting crews and incident management team personnel strike teams and aircraft will be available and deployed.

“Two large air tankers will be based in Busselton and ready to be deployed tomorrow.”

Cyclone warning

Ex-Cyclone Lincoln is also barrelling towards WA, bringing heavy rainfall and dangerous flash flooding to towns in its path.

The weather system is located near Lajamanu in the Northern Territory and is heading west towards WA’s Kimberley region.

It should reach the WA/NT border later on Monday, moving into the northern parts of the Kimberley in the coming days.

The Bureau of Meteorology said there was a high risk the system would move offshore, and restrengthen into a category two or three tropical cyclone by the end of the week, and swing back towards the Pilbara coast.

Port Hedland, Karratha, Onslow and possibly even Exmouth are in the firing line for some heavier rainfall and gusty conditions.

Sunday scorcher

Temperatures reached close to 50C in parts of the Gascoyne and the Mid West on Sunday, ranking as some of the hottest temperatures recorded in Australia.

Carnarvon, 900km north of the Perth, soared to 49.9C, which was believed to be the world’s hottest temperature recorded this year and Australia’s highest recorded temperature for the summer.

It was the nation’s second-hottest February temperature on record and tied as the eighth-hottest temperature recorded in Australia.

About 100km south, Shark Bay Airport reached a maximum temperature of 49.8C, the third hottest February maximum temperature recorded in the nation.

Geraldton climbed to 49.3C, which was the hottest day on record for the town and the third time this month the weather station at the airport has climbed above 46C.

Perth on Sunday reached 42.9C, marking the sixth day at or above 40C in February, which was a new monthly record, according to the bureau, but that mark has since reached seven after it also broke the mark on Monday.

The previous record was four days in 1933, 1985 and 2016.

It was also Perth’s eighth day at or above 40C for the summer, which was the second-highest summer tally on record, with 13 days at or above 40C recorded during the summer of 2021-2022.

Overnight minimum temperature records were also broken across parts of the city.

The temperature in Swanbourne only dropped to 28.7C, and Garden Island to 26.4C, with both recording their hottest February night ever.

Power network pushed to the limit

The extreme weather also tested the electricity network, with a record-breaking 4,200 megawatts of power consumed across southern WA on Sunday evening forcing the Australian Energy Market Operator to declare a “state of emergency”.

AEMO WA managing director Kate Ryan said the declaration allowed the AEMO to draw on a range of “off-market” options to help manage power supply.

“So the levers that we pulled last night was to ask Western Power to turn on some of those generators, those backup generators that they’ve got,” she told ABC Radio Perth.

Ms Ryan said it was possible the measures could be used again if the heatwave conditions continued.

“There’s every chance that a day like today, when we’re forecasting again very high electricity demand that if we run out of those market options, we will declare an emergency operating state,” she said.

Severe-to-extreme heatwave conditions are expected to continue across much of the state in the coming days, easing mid-week in the south.

It comes as the Climate Council urges Australia to follow Spain’s lead and start naming heatwaves so people grasp how lethal and disruptive they can be.

Avocado crop destroyed

Carnarvon fruit farmer Wes Bassett said the temperature gauge on his property further inland reached 53 degrees on Sunday.

He said he could lose up to half of his avocados due to heat before they are ready for harvest in winter.

“Each year growing avocados is getting tougher and tougher,” he said.

“We’ve had only one good year, last year, in about eight years. They’re more affected by heat or cold or wind than other trees.”

Carnarvon shire president Eddie Smith said the heat was “extremely discomforting”.

Builders can’t afford to stop work 

Self-employed Geraldton builder Ilaan Saraber said he had no intention of downing tools despite the record-breaking heat.

“The work builds up and you don’t get paid,” he said.

He said he did what he could to stay safe during the heat.

“We do take breaks when it’s really hot – we try,” he said.

“If you start feeling really hot, you have to slow down, have a break and cool down a bit.

“It’s not only the hydration, it’s just overheating as well.”