Australia sizzles under scorching temperatures while an unusual early cyclone targets northern coast
A rapidly intensifying tropical cyclone looms off Australia's northern coast, compounding the nation's enduring heatwave conditions Millions brace for a relentless onslaught as this rare early cyclone threatens to persist into the weekend
Off the northern coast of Australia, a tropical cyclone has intensified rapidly, coinciding with a significant heat wave affecting millions across the country. Severe tropical cyclone Jasper, reaching the equivalent of a Category 4 hurricane on Friday with maximum winds of 220 kilometers per hour (138 mph), is forecasted to possibly further intensify and reach Category 5 levels, warning from the country's meteorology bureau.
Jasper is the most powerful Category 4 tropical cyclone to have developed in the Coral Sea since records began in 1900, as per CNN's examination of storm tracks from the National Hurricane Center.
The storm, currently situated 1,195 kilometers (742 miles) northeast of Queensland, is heading south at a speed of 9 kph (6 mph). There is a possibility that it could make landfall near Cairns, a city with a population of 250,000, with maximum sustained winds of 140 kph (87 mph) by early Tuesday.
The projected path of the storm may change, according to forecasters. Its early arrival during El Niño, a climate pattern originating in the Pacific Ocean along the equator, typically leads to reduced rainfall along Australia's east coast.
The 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is scheduled to be held from November 30 to December 12, 2023, at Expo City Dubai in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The event is set to take place on December 1st, 2023. (Photo by Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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The system has had a global impact on this year's weather and has the potential to significantly impact storm seasons. At the same time, heat warnings are currently in effect in multiple states and territories, including New South Wales, which is home to over 8 million people.
On Saturday, temperatures in Sydney, the capital of NSW, are forecasted to reach 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) with strong, dry winds fueling the heat, as reported by the Bureau of Meteorology in Australia. Due to the heightened risk of bushfires, some schools in Sydney were compelled to close on Friday, and certain areas of NSW implemented a total fire ban.
Parts of South Australia were issued with a "catastrophic" fire rating on Friday, the highest on the scale, indicating a high likelihood of loss of lives and properties if a fire were to start. In addition, extreme fire danger ratings were also in place in parts of New South Wales and Victoria.
The heat is expected to diminish slightly by the end of the weekend and into early next week.
Australia is highly susceptible to the impacts of the climate crisis, experiencing frequent heatwaves, heavy rainfall, and destructive bushfires.
Earlier this year, a heat wave during Australia's warmest winter since records began in 1910 led to over 20 runners in the Sydney Marathon being hospitalized. Additionally, ski resorts, including the country's largest, Perisher, closed early due to a lack of snow.
The memory of the devastating 2020 Black Summer fires, the worst in decades, loomed large in the minds of millions of Australians, heightening fears as they recalled the 10 million hectares (24.7 million acres) burned, the loss of dozens of lives, and over 3,000 homes destroyed.
