Severe Heatwave Grips Southeastern Australia

A severe heatwave is sweeping across southeastern Australia, with temperatures expected to soar above 40 degrees Celsius in Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales over the coming days, raising extreme fire dangers in regions still recovering from recent bushfires. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts the heat to peak early next week, potentially breaking records in inland areas, while no rainfall is anticipated for at least two weeks.

The heat, originating from record-breaking conditions in Western Australia's Gascoyne region where Carnarvon reached 47.9 degrees Celsius on Thursday, is moving eastward. A trough is pushing temperatures into the mid-to-high 40s across eastern Western Australia before reaching South Australia and Victoria on Saturday. Melbourne is projected to hit 40 degrees Celsius that day, with a brief cooling trend bringing lows to 24 degrees on Sunday and 30 on Monday, before climbing back to 41 on Tuesday. Inland towns face even higher readings: Mildura could reach 48 degrees, nearing its all-time January record of 47.2 degrees from 1939, while Ouyen and outer Melbourne suburbs may see 44 to 47 degrees.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Kevin...