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Extreme heat and intense wildfires have devastated the parched landscape of Western Australia. As mercury levels forecast to continue climbing above 40C (104F) over the next few days, a severe heatwave warning has been declared across a large portion of the south-west.

Broad Heatwave Alerts Across the Region

These conditions follow recent fires in New South Wales, which caused the loss of properties and fatalities. Severe heatwave warnings have additionally been issued for later this week in parts of South Australia and New South Wales, as a ridge of high pressure shifts to the east, bringing blazing sunshine to much of the region.

The mix of tinder-dry vegetation and relentless high temperatures presents a dangerous situation for firefighters.

Worldwide Weather Extremes Trigger Chaos

Elsewhere, a major city was left in blackout last week after strong gusts damaged the city’s power grid, with toppled trees bringing down power lines. The stormy weather also caused major transport delays at a key airport, where numerous air services were grounded. Severe impact on power systems is expected to create ongoing problems as service providers scramble to restore power to over 1 million residents.

Atypical Fog Covers Sunny Area

At the same time, a valley known for its clear skies and plentiful sunshine has experienced one of its dullest and most overcast periods on record. A particular form of fog, which usually lingers for only a short time, has been remarkably extensive and persistent this year, holding the mercury at a major airport below 8C for more than a week – the longest such streak in over three decades. The prolonged fog has been driven by unprecedented autumn rainfall that resulted in soils waterlogged.

• Key Factor: Record fall rains saturated the soil.
• Outcome: Extended and dense mist formation.
• Impact: Thermal readings remained below average for an lengthy time.

Storm Delivers Wintry Weather to Tourist Islands

And in Spain, a powerful storm has ushered in intense rain, powerful winds and even snow to a group of islands – conditions many would not associate with this favored holiday destination. While wintry precipitation is not unknown at higher ground, the system delivered some of the heaviest snow depths in 2016 to a national park, forcing its closure.

In addition to the snowfall, strong northerly winds swept across the island chain, with wind gusts reaching 50mph observed on several islands. The influence of the weather event is expected to diminish this week with more seasonal weather taking hold.