Perth Christmas weather: City set for a scorcher with its warmest Christmas morning in 110 years
Perth will experience its warmest Christmas morning in more than 110 years; Overnight minimum temperatures are expected to remain above 26C and daytime highs are expected to rise.
Perth can be expected to wake up at 6am on Christmas to temperatures of at least 26 degrees; The mercury is expected to rise rapidly to 36 degrees at 10 am and then reach a blistering temperature of 41 degrees at 2 pm.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Robert Lawry said if overnight temperatures remained above 26C it would mark Perth’s warmest Christmas Day in more than a century.
“That would be a record… the last time it happened was in 1915,” he said.
A maximum of 41C will also be significant. This would be Perth’s hottest Christmas Day since 2021, when temperatures reached 42.8C.
On Perth’s hottest ever night (February 1898 and February 1933) the minimum temperature was 29.3 degrees.
For those hoping a trip to the beach would bring relief, the BoM warned that the chance of a sea breeze is low, meaning temperatures will remain well above 30C until the evening.
It’s little surprise, then, that seafood and cold plates dominate Western Australians’ Christmas menus this year.
Shoppers came out with old shoes and cooler bags early Tuesday morning in Leederville as families stocked up on fresh seafood during Kailis’ annual 36-hour trade.
Owner Matt Kailis said the marathon shopping event, which celebrates 100 years of the business serving WA families, had special meaning this year.
“Christmas is a time for families to come together and it feels really special to be a part of that tradition,” he said.
Mr Kailis expected about 12.5 tonnes of seafood to be sold during the marathon, which will run from 6am on Tuesday until 6pm on Christmas Eve.
Former WA treasurer Ben Wyatt was a repeat customer at Kailis on Tuesday and said seafood was a staple of his family’s Christmas.
“It’s a tradition, every year I make a whole fish – this year a red emperor,” he said
“I love fresh seafood and eat a lot of it, especially when the weather gets warmer.”
The predicted heatwave comes with a host of warnings, and officials have urged Western Australians to keep themselves cool and hydrated and be careful to prevent their food from spoiling.
Mr Lawry was among those urging everyone to take extra precautions.
“Moisturize, stay out of the sun and take extra precautions,” he said.
Department of Fire and Emergency Services deputy commissioner Craig Waters said WA fire services were better prepared than ever to tackle bushfires during the Christmas heatwave.
A long list of regional districts and regions have already been announced and extreme fire danger warnings issued on Wednesday. A total fire ban was also imposed for 18 local government areas.
Heat wave conditions are expected in the northern and southern parts of the state. Geraldton is expected to hit scorching 43C on Christmas Day.
“We brought in two additional Black Hawk (helicopters), bringing our total fleet to a record 38 aircraft during this high-risk period,” Mr Waters said.
Mr Waters said firefighter fatigue was a major concern given the high number of fires already breaking out this summer despite the extra resources.
“The biggest challenge we face is managing fatigue among our volunteers and career firefighters,” he said.
DFES assistant director of marine services Mark Eatts said Water Police expected tens of thousands of boats to hit the water this Christmas long weekend, increasing the risk of emergencies.
Four colleagues who were thrown into the water after their boat capsized in rough seas, and a distressed jet skier whose device tipped over in the early hours of Sunday night, were also rescued on Monday evening.
“We urge boat owners to make sure they take the right precautions before setting out,” Mr Eatts said.
He was confident that one simple step could have prevented the tragedy: “I strongly recommend wearing a life jacket when in the water,” he said.
WA Health’s general manager of environmental health, Jane Cook, said foodborne bacteria thrived in the heat.
It reminds them to take extra precautions when preparing, serving and storing leftovers during the holidays.
“To stay healthy this summer, follow four simple rules: clean, sort, cook and chill,” Ms Cook said.
