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Weather: High temperatures, fire warnings signal concerning season ahead, BOM says

Temperatures have been forecast to reach mid-30 degrees Celsius in the southern states. - Audience submitted

Fire danger warnings are in place across a large part of Australia, with hot temperatures and windy weather expected, the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) says.



Fire authorities are on alert in the south-eastern states, with total fire bans in place in regions of South Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, and a high danger in Tasmania.

Temperatures were forecast to reach the mid-30s in the southern states, with a maximum of 36C in Sydney and Adelaide, 34C in Melbourne and 33C in Canberra.

In Darwin, the maximum expected temperature was 34C, 29C in Hobart. Perth's forecast top was a cooler 26C and Brisbane 29C.



High temperatures in several capital cities at the same time is "a bit different", senior BOM meteorologist Claire Yeo said.

"Those hot temperatures ahead of that wind change [are] increasing the fire dangers into that very, very high to severe range," Ms Yeo said.

"But there is also an added impact that we don't necessarily or aren't necessarily able to reflect in the fire danger rating, and that's the way the atmosphere behaves in these kinds of conditions.

"Today is a classic example where if a fire was to start in your particular area, the atmosphere is primed for [it]. If a smoke plume develops over that fire, it can get to quite an extensive height â?¦ and we see very erratic fire conditions and fire behaviour in that kind of atmospheric condition."



Ms Yeo said more frequent fire danger ratings were expected in coming days.

"The issue is that we've had quite a cool and wet spring season leading up to this summer season," she said.

"And it's only been in the last few weeks that we've had really hot temperatures that have been preconditioning the fuel loads out there, so the addition of that â?¦ plus very heavy fuel loads after this wet season is priming us for quite a concerning fire season, and we are seeing that today."

But Ms Yeo said the weather â?? when there are three or more consecutive days of high temperatures.

"But the hot temperatures are there," she said.


- ABC

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