Australia Is Hit By Extreme Lightning And Hot Waves

Extreme Weather Illustration (ANTARA)

SYDNEY - Australia is being hit by extreme weather ahead of the close of 2023. Reportedly, thunderstorms hit parts of Australia's eastern region on Saturday, December 30. In addition, in northern and western Australia it was hit by heat waves, with the highest temperature reaching 49 degrees Celsius.

Thunderstorms have triggered heavy rain, strong winds and hail. This situation occurred after the emergence of tropical storms during the Christmas holidays.

Bad weather is expected to occur more than 1,000 km, from Port Macquarie in the state of New South Wales to Rockhampton in Queensland. Meanwhile, the southeastern region of Queensland is expected to be the worst affected by the storm.

"We are now entering an active period of thunderstorms. There is a potential for more isolated and very dangerous thunderstorms," said David Grant, a weather forecaster at the Australian Meteorological Agency.

Some areas were rained with rainfall of about 110 mm or about a month's total rainfall, in two hours on Saturday morning. Hail as high as 6 cm is also visible. This bad weather is expected to continue until the new year.

Two people were taken to the hospital after lightning struck. One of them was in the car and the other was on the excavator.

This storm came after bad weather on December 25 and 26 which killed 10 people and cut off electricity in the eastern region.

The summer in Australia from December to February was influenced by the El Nino phenomenon, which could cause extreme weather ranging from forest fires to hurricanes and prolonged drought.

As Queensland was hit by a second major storm in a week, severe heat waves hit Australia's northern and western regions. Temperatures in Marble Bar, a remote old mining town in northwestern Australia, reached 49 degrees Celsius on Saturday.

However, much more conducive weather is expected to occur in the southeastern region of Australia including Sydney, on Sunday (31/12/2023). Tens of thousands of people are expected to flock to key places on the edge of a port in Sydney to watch fireworks being set to welcome the new year.