Weather News

Fire danger spikes in WA

Ben Domensino, Thursday February 28, 2019 - 14:53 AEDT

Hot, dry and windy weather is expected to cause Catastrophic fire danger ratings in parts of Western Australia today.

A pulse of very hot air will be pushed over central and southeastern districts of Western Australia today, ahead of an approaching low pressure trough. In addition to the heat, dry and gusty northerly winds are also developing ahead of the trough.

Image: ECMWF-HRES model showing hot air spreading over WA on Thursday.

This combination of hot and dry air with blustery winds will cause Catastrophic fire danger ratings in the state's Goldfields and Eucla Districts today.

Kalgoorlie is forecast to reach 45 degrees today, which would be the hottest February day on record at their airport's weather station, which has data back to 1939. The previous record for the site was 44.9 degrees from 2013 and 2007.

After reaching 44.4 degrees on Wednesday, this is also forecast to be the latest pair of 44-degree days on record for Kalgoorlie. The previous record was on February 21st and 22nd in 1998.

The hot air will contract into Western Australia's Eucla and Interior districts on Friday before being flushed out of the state by southerly winds this weekend.

Visit www.dfes.wa.gov.au for the latest bushfire information in Western Australia.

- Weatherzone

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