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Southern WA hit by early season heat

Brett Dutschke, Monday September 10, 2012 - 16:29 EST

Parts of southern WA have been hit by a burst of heat, the sort of heat that normally arrives in late September or October.

Temperatures have reached the low-to-mid 30s on Monday, 10-to-15 degrees hotter than the September average.

Esperance has had its hottest September day in 25 years, reaching 32.8 degrees, 14 degrees above average. This is just short of the monthly record of 34.4 degrees, set in 1983.

It's been the hottest September day in six years for Salmon Gums, Munglinup West and Southern Cross and hottest September day in five years for Norseman, all reaching about 31 degrees.

The heat has arrived early in the season with help from a near-record hot August and early September in northern WA. It has become so hot in the north of the state due to a lengthy spell of sunny days and now northerly winds are dragging this heat to the south.

These northerlies have not just been unseasonably hot, they've been dry and gusty, kicking up dust and leading to severe fire danger.

A strong colder change is not far off. The change will arrive overnight and make tomorrow and the following few days much colder and also bring a few showers.

Esperance should only reach 21 degrees on Tuesday and about 17 on Wednesday before showers clear. Showers are only likely to bring about five millimetres of rain to coastal areas, less inland.

- Weatherzone

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