Heat eases in southeast but WA still red hot

Adelaide is marching towards its driest summer since records began.

With absolutely no rain in January, the city has marked its first dry January since 2019 and just the eighth dating back to 1839.

It has also been an exceptionally hot month in the South Australian capital, with minimum temperatures running 1°C above the long-term average and maximums 3.6°C above average.

Adelaide's driest summer was 1905/06 with just 4mm in total, according to Weatherzone.

Only 2.8mm fell in December so, after a rainless January, that stands as the city's tally for the 2025/26 summer.

That trend is set to continue, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting another week of dry, warm conditions.

Sunday should give a much needed reprieve for those affected by the searing heat of last week before the mercury hovers around 30C for the next seven days.

Parts of NSW and Victoria are also on alert for fires, with authorities issuing a total fire ban in Upper Central West Plains and Eastern Riverina regions and the northeast region, respectively.

Perth residents will likely endure 37C and 39C on Sunday and Monday as their prolonged heatwave tails off.

In its long-range forecast, the bureau predicts warmer days and nights over coming months, with increased extreme heat risk and no clear wet or dry trend for February to April.

Climatologist Caitlin Minney said heatwaves affected much of the country during January, with many locations reaching temperatures between 45C and 49C.

And while January rainfall has been above average for parts of northern and central Queensland and along the central and south coasts of NSW, elsewhere, rainfall was average to below average, and much drier than usual in the southeast.

That lack of rain and high temperatures saw fires flare in many locations across southern Australia.

Overall, the next week provides some cooler, calmer conditions for most of the southeast after a sweltering, record smashing week where the mercury surged towards 50C.

Feeling hot, hot, hot - towns breaking records in 2026 summer:

* On Monday, South Australian coastal town Ceduna hit a record 49.5C

* On Tuesday, Victoria reached its highest temperature on record with 48.9C in two locations in the Mallee district, with Melbourne's suburbs topping 45C

* On the same day, South Australia's Renmark broke its previous top with a maximum 49.6C and NSW's Pooncarie hit 49.7C - the state's hottest day since 1939

* On Wednesday, NSW sweltered though 49.2C at the official Bureau weather station at Borrona Downs cattle station

* It also brought the first measured 30 degree day in the Victorian snowfields at Falls Creek

* On Thursday, SA outback town Marree hit 49.8C - equal to the 7th hottest temperature ever recorded in Australia and the fourth hottest in SA.

* On Friday, Marree again nudged 50°C, as did Port Augusta.

Source: Weatherzone