Temperatures are set to soar in Western Australia during the lead-up to Christmas, with Perth looking at a few days in the mid-to-high thirties and the Pilbara tipped to hit 47ºC later this week.

A persistent ridge of high pressure to the south of Australia, combined with a broad area of low pressure over the north and west of WA, will allow a very hot air mass to build up over WA this week.

The hottest air is going to develop in the Pilbara and Kimberley districts, where temperatures could reach around 47ºC at times this week. Some models are suggesting even higher temperatures around Marble Bar on Christmas Eve, which could see some parts of the Pilbara get within a couple of degrees of Australia’s Christmas Eve temperature record of 49.5ºC from Birdsville in 1972.

Image: Forecast maximum temperatures on Friday, December 22, according to the ECMWF-HRES model.

While temperatures won’t be quite as high in the southwest of WA during the run up to Christmas, it’s still going to be very hot in Perth.

Maximum temperatures are forecast to reach 32 to 37ºC between this Wednesday and Christmas Day next Monday. The hottest days currently look to be Thursday and Sunday, which could reach 36 to 37ºC.

This burst of holiday will combine with dry winds to cause Extreme fire danger ratings in some western districts of WA between Tuesday and Thursday, before fire danger eases later in the week.

Perth is no stranger to Christmas heat, with December typically a time for dry and hot easterly winds along the state’s lower west coast. The city has averaged a maximum temperature of 32.3ºC on Christmas Day from 1991 to 2022.

Perth’s hottest Christmas Day was in 2021, when the mercury soared to 42.8ºC. Thankfully, this record is not likely to be challenged this year, although air conditioning, pools and beaches will be in high demand.