Beginning in mid-December 2024, Australia experienced an intense heatwave affecting multiple states and territories, with temperatures exceeding 45 °C (113 °F) in numerous populated settlements.
[1] According to senior Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) meteorologist Dean Narramore, the heatwave was caused by a weather front that brought a combination of heat, dry air, and strong gusty winds across the country.
[1] On 16 December, authorities issued warnings about a potential mass fish kill in the Darling River system, particularly around Menindee Lakes in western New South Wales.
CFA Chief Fire Officer Jason Heffernan emphasized the challenging conditions for firefighters and urged for citizens to not be complacent to possible danger.
[1] Tasmania was forecasted to have dry thunderstorms, inland winds of 50–60 km/h and coastal gusts potentially reaching 90 km/h, raising concerns about lightning-sparked fires under the concurrent heatwave conditions.