Australia Faces Extreme Weather: Floods, Fire, and Heatwaves Impact Regions

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Australia is experiencing a dramatic shift in weather patterns, with northern Queensland bracing for further flooding due to heavy rainfall and flash flooding affecting parts of New South Wales and Victoria, according to Angus Hines, senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology. Two fatalities have been reported as towns remain cut off and many are left without power.

In Tasmania, bushfires have devastated 45,000 hectares, threatening the ancient Huon pine grove and closing popular hiking trails. The region is currently under severe heatwave warnings with temperatures soaring 15°C above normal in South Australia and 5 to 10°C higher in Victoria and Tasmania.

Compounding the situation, a tropical low off the western coast is expected to develop into Cyclone Zelia, potentially impacting the Pilbara region by week's end. Experts are observing unusual simultaneous occurrences of extreme weather, indicating a severe weather season, with Andrew King from the University of Melbourne noting a possible influence of climate change on rainfall extremes.

As the week progresses, Tasmania may also experience unseasonable snowfall, highlighting the unpredictability of this summer’s weather events.

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