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Extreme heat and raging bushfires have devastated the parched landscape of Western Australia. As mercury levels expected to persist climbing above 40C (104F) over the coming days, a severe alert for extreme heat has been issued across a large portion of the southwestern region.

Widespread Heatwave Alerts Across the Region

This situation come after recent bushfires in another state, which caused the loss of homes and loss of life. Intense heat alerts have additionally been activated for later this week in parts of SA and New South Wales, as a system of atmospheric pressure shifts eastward, delivering blazing heat to much of the area.

The mix of extremely dry land and unbroken heat creates a dangerous situation for emergency crews.

Global Weather Extremes Cause Chaos

In another part of the world, a major city was plunged into blackout last week after powerful winds damaged the urban electrical network, with toppled trees bringing down electricity cables. The stormy weather also led to significant travel disruption at a major airport, where hundreds of flights were grounded. Severe damage to electrical infrastructure is anticipated to cause further issues as service providers work urgently to restore power to over 1 million residents.

Unusual Mist Blankets Typically Clear Region

At the same time, a region known for its sunny weather and abundant sunlight has experienced one of its dullest and most overcast periods on recorded history. A specific type of low cloud, which typically lasts for only a few days, has been remarkably extensive and persistent this year, holding temperatures at a major airport below 8C for more than a week – the most prolonged period in more than three decades. The extended haze has been driven by exceptional autumn precipitation that left soils waterlogged.

• Primary Driver: Record autumn rainfall soaked the ground.
• Result: Prolonged and thick mist formation.
• Impact: Temperatures remained unseasonably low for an lengthy period.

Storm Brings Wintry Weather to Holiday Destination

And in Spain, a weather system has brought heavy rainfall, powerful winds and even snowfall to a group of islands – weather many would not connect with this popular tourist spot. While wintry precipitation is not unknown at elevated areas, the system brought some of the deepest snow depths in 2016 to a protected area, forcing its closure.

Alongside the snow, strong winds from the north swept across the archipelago, with wind gusts reaching 50mph observed on several locations. The effect of the storm is expected to diminish this week with more typical conditions taking hold.