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A bit late to be this hot, especially in WA

Brett Dutschke, Friday March 1, 2019 - 13:23 AEDT

Southern Australia is experiencing a wave of late-season heat, the most intense so far has been in western parts, up to 20 degrees hotter than average for this time of year.

For Western Australia, it has been the interior and southeast of the state copping the most of it. Much of the Goldfields, Interior and Eucla districts have had temperatures reach the mid forties on consecutive days and then stay very warm overnight.

This sort of heat typically occurs during January and early February, but is much more unusual for late February and early March.

Yesterday, the second day of intense heat, was the hottest it has been this late in the season in more than 110 years at Kalgoorlie (45.3 degrees), more than 90 years at Meekatharra (45.3) and more than 60 years at Wiluna (45.8), Leonora (45.5) and Laverton (45.3). For most of these places it was one-to-two degrees hotter than their previous late season highs, set in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Today, the first day of autumn, sees the most intense heat move a little further east, focussing 46-47 degree heat on the Nullarbor, including Eyre, Eucla, Forrest and Nullarbor itself.

The heat is arriving in very dry and dusty northerly winds, raising fire danger to Extreme and even Catastrophic.

A cooler change is not not too far away, crossing the Nullarbor later today, dropping temperatures by about 20 degrees in a hurry, but unfortunately with virtually no rain.

The gusty change has already affected the Goldfields, Kalgoorlie heading for more comfortable highs of 30-to-33 degrees today and this weekend.

- Weatherzone

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