Weather tracker: Bushfires ravage Western Australia as temperatures soar

Western Australia is currently battling intense bushfires fueled by extreme heat. Temperatures are expected to remain above 40C (104F) in the coming days, prompting the Bureau of Meteorology to issue a severe heatwave warning for much of the southwest region.

The dangerous conditions follow similar bushfires earlier this month in New South Wales, which caused fatalities and destroyed homes. South Australia and New South Wales are also under severe heatwave warnings for later this week as a high-pressure ridge moves eastward, bringing intense sunshine.

Across the globe, other regions are experiencing severe weather events. In Brazil, São Paulo was plunged into darkness last week after strong winds felled trees and damaged the power grid. The damage disrupted operations at Congonhas airport, resulting in hundreds of flight cancellations. Utility companies are working to restore power to over a million residents, but significant infrastructure damage may cause further delays.

Meanwhile, California's Central Valley, typically sunny, has experienced unusually dense and persistent Tule fog. The fog, which usually dissipates quickly, has lingered for over a week, keeping temperatures at Sacramento International Airport below 8C (46F). This is the longest such streak in over 30 years, fueled by saturated soil from exceptional autumn rainfall.

In Spain, Storm Emilia has brought uncharacteristic weather to the Canary Islands, including intense rainfall, strong winds, and snow. While snow is not unprecedented at higher elevations on Tenerife, the Teide National Park saw some of the deepest accumulations since 2016, leading to its closure on Sunday. Strong northerly winds exceeding 50mph have also been recorded across several islands, including Lanzarote and Gran Canaria. The effects of Storm Emilia are expected to diminish this week, with weather returning to seasonal norms.