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WA faces extreme heatwave and fire danger

Western Australia is bracing for a brutal heatwave for at least five days, with temperatures soaring into the 40s and heightened fire risks affecting much of the state.

The prolonged period of heat will be generated by a stubborn high-pressure system and ridge over the Bight, which will direct hot northeasterly winds from Australia’s hot interior all the way to the west coast.

Images: Mean Sea Level Pressure charts (MSLP) showing a stubborn high pressure system and ridge remaining in the Bight for at least 5 days.

Maximum temperatures will reach the low to mid 40s for several days in the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions prompting a severe to extreme heatwave warning to be issued for the three days beginning on Friday, December 6.

Image: Heatwave severity forecast for WA for three days beginning on Friday, December 6. Source: Bureau of Meteorology

The heatwave conditions over the next six days will also bring high to extreme fire danger across much of the state. Fortunately, the large out-of-control fire that recently impactrd coastal communities to the north of Perth has been extinguished, however the communities of WA should remain alert.

While each day in the next week will be hot for WA, the hottest days are forecast to be this Sunday and Wednesday and Thursday next week.

You can see by mid next week the heat spreads to the south and west, impacting the Central and Lower West regions, including Perth.

Images: Maximum temperature forecast on Sunday, December 8 and on Wednesday, December 11, according to ECMWF

Perth is set to see a run of at least six days at or above 32°C, with temperatures possibly peaking at 37 to 38°C next Wednesday and Thursday.

Image: Daily forecast on the Weatherzone app for Perth, WA, valid at 1pm AWST on Thursday, December 5, 2024.

There are early signs that temperatures should finally drop into the 20s next weekend, with a cooler southerly change forecast to sweep through the city.

There is still some uncertainty around the forecast mid to late next week, with a possible tropical low or cyclone developing off the Pilbara or Kimberley coast. The rain and cloud associated from this system could change the temperature forecast dramatically.