A heat trough over southwest Western Australia brought significant April warmth to the region yesterday.

Pearce, to the northeast of Perth, reached 40.7 degrees on Saturday, the hottest place in Australia, and its hottest April day in at least 80 years.

Perth itself reached 39.5 degrees, the hottest April day in at least 123 years of records in the WA capital. The previous record for April heat in the city was 37.6 degrees in 1910, with yesterday's heat significantly warmer. 

Wandering, to the southeast of Perth, reached 37.6 degrees, which made it the hottest April day the site has experienced in at least 119 years of records.

It will be a noticeably cooler day on Easter Sunday for much of the southwest as the heat trough moves further east ahead of a weak cold front, although overnight tonight should remain a few degrees above average. The passing of this front may bring the odd storm to the region with a few light and isolated showers late in the evening continuing into Monday and Tuesday.

From Monday, temperatures are likely to remain closer to average in the southwest for the week as a milder air mass settles over the region.