Australia is facing a dramatic clash of extreme weather, with one community left reeling from a devastating storm just as vast swathes of the country are told to prepare for an intense and sweltering heatwave.
Record-Breaking Storm Ravages Port Pirie
A freak and severe thunderstorm smashed into the town of Port Pirie, located on the east coast of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia, on Saturday. The violent weather system brought with it large hail and damaging winds, with gusts recorded at a powerful 119 km per hour just after 8 pm.
The impact was immediate and severe. Thousands of residents faced power outages as winds ripped out powerlines, brought down trees, and destroyed houses. Shocking footage captured the sheer force, showing trampolines being flung down streets. The hail was so intense that residents reported the town looked as if it had been blanketed by a heavy dumping of snow.
Emergency services have labelled the event the 'most significant storm' to hit the region on record. The State Emergency Service (SES) received more than 350 calls for assistance.
A Surprise Event and a Massive Clean-Up
SES acting chief officer, Kirsty Phelps, confirmed that the storm caught emergency responders by surprise. She stated that residents now face a massive clean-up operation in its wake. 'This is the most significant storm event we've had in the Port Pirie region on record,' she said.
South Australia Premier, Peter Malinauskas, echoed this, noting the severe storm cell stunned residents as it was 'not anticipated by the Bureau of Meteorology'. He confirmed that at least two homes were destroyed, with the majority of the damage across town caused by fallen trees. At the storm's peak, approximately 4,900 households were left without power – a level of damage typically expected from a prolonged, statewide weather event.
Scorching Heatwave Set to Grip the Nation
Meanwhile, an entirely different weather crisis is developing across the country. An intense heatwave is set to hit large parts of Australia this week, with temperatures predicted to reach a scorching 46 to 47C in at least two states.
Weatherzone Meteorologist Ben Domensino explained that a burst of late-spring heat is developing over the country's interior. This is being driven by Tropical Cyclone Fina, which is drawing vast amounts of heat from the Timor Sea into the atmosphere. This hot air is then moving south.
'While [the air] has lost a lot of the moisture it began with, it has retained its potential temperature,' Mr Domensino said. 'This means the air will warm up as it descends towards the ground over central Australia... a process called adiabatic warming.'
Forecasts for Monday predict temperatures of 45 to 46C in South Australia and a blistering 47C in southwest Queensland. Northwest NSW and the southern Northern Territory will also bake, with mercury rising into the low to mid-40s in the coming days. While not unprecedented, this heat could potentially come within a degree or two of November records.
The Bureau of Meteorology and Weatherzone are expected to issue official heatwave warnings for several states and territories. BoM meteorologist Dean Narramore has warned Australians to brace for 'severe to extreme heatwave conditions', with many areas experiencing temperatures between 4 to 10C hotter than average.
Inland parts of South Australia, Queensland, NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania will feel the peak of the heat on Monday and Tuesday, while residents along the NSW and Queensland east coast will endure the hottest days between Wednesday and Friday.
