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Extreme heat and intense bushfires have swept through the parched landscape of Western Australia. As temperatures expected to persist climbing above 40C (104F) over the next few days, a severe alert for extreme heat has been declared across much of the southwestern region.

Broad Extreme Heat Alerts Across Multiple States

These conditions come after this month's fires in New South Wales, which resulted in the destruction of homes and loss of life. Severe heatwave warnings have also been activated for later this week in parts of SA and New South Wales, as a system of high pressure shifts eastward, bringing intense sunshine to a broad swath of the area.

The combination of extremely dry land and relentless high temperatures presents a dangerous scenario for firefighters.

Worldwide Climatic Events Trigger Disruption

In another part of the world, a major city was plunged into darkness recently after strong winds damaged the urban electrical network, with falling trees bringing down electricity cables. The stormy weather also caused significant travel disruption at a key airport, where numerous air services were grounded. Substantial damage to power systems is expected to create further issues as service providers scramble to reconnect electricity to more than 1 million inhabitants.

Atypical Fog Blankets Typically Clear Region

At the same time, a region known for its clear skies and plentiful sunlight has experienced one of its dullest and most overcast periods on recorded history. A specific type of fog, which usually lingers for only a short time, has been remarkably widespread and persistent this year, keeping the mercury at a major airport below 8C for more than a week – the most prolonged period in over three decades. The prolonged fog has been driven by exceptional fall precipitation that left soils saturated.

• Primary Driver: Record fall rains soaked the soil.
• Result: Extended and dense fog development.
• Impact: Temperatures remained below average for an lengthy time.

Severe Weather Delivers Wintry Weather to Holiday Islands

Turning to Spain, a weather system has ushered in intense rain, powerful gales and even snowfall to a group of islands – conditions many would not connect with this favored holiday destination. While wintry precipitation is not unheard of at elevated areas, the system brought some of the heaviest accumulations in 2016 to a national park, forcing its closure.

Alongside the snow, strong winds from the north buffeted the archipelago, with wind gusts reaching 50mph observed on several locations. The influence of the weather event is expected to diminish this week with more seasonal weather returning.