Heatwave bakes WA but stops short of setting temperature record

A west coast trough is driving the heatwave, pushing high temperatures further south.

This is the third heatwave Perth has experienced this summer, with the city facing an average of five heatwaves each year.

The bureau has also forecast hotter-than-average temperatures for Perth in February.

Premier Roger Cook urged the community to keep cool by seeking out places with air conditioning and to check on vulnerable friends or family members.

Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone Sean has formed off the Pilbara coast, with severe winds and heavy rain wreaking havoc in the coastal town of Karratha over the weekend as the system strengthened to a category 3.

Karratha Airport has recorded more than 274 millimetres of rain since 9am on Sunday, breaking the record for the highest rainfall in a single day that was previously set in 2006.

Another 100 millimetres of rainfall is predicted again on Monday, but the town is now outside the cyclone warning zone.

Lingard said the cyclone was likely to be upgraded to a category four on Monday evening, and would remain a severe storm throughout the day, before calming down on Tuesday as it moved south-west into cooler waters away from the coast.

“There is a slight chance that across the weekend we could see some rainfall in Perth associated with the decaying remains of this system as it makes its way across southwestern parts of WA,” she said.

Karratha resident Cathy Gallagher told 9News Perth that the downpipes at her home were overflowing and there had been some flooding in the area.

“I noticed a lot of the locals have brought sandbags,” she said.

Cook said there had been no reports yet of any significant damage.

“We know cyclones are unpredictable. Sometimes they do what they like, not what the Bureau of Meteorology predicts, so please stay tuned to your emergency services outlets and make sure that you are doing everything you can to keep yourself safe,” he said.

“We’re not anticipating having to deploy extra emergency services, but we stand ready.”

The cyclone warning extends from Mardie to Ningaloo, including Exmouth, Barrow Island and Onslow. Winds near the centre of the storm have hit 130 kilometres per hour with gusts up to 180 kilometres per hour.

Stay up to date on the Emergency WA website.

Get alerts on significant breaking news as happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.