Victoria, Australia braces for a potentially devastating heatwave with temperatures soaring above 40°C, while the UK prepares for a polar freeze, bringing unexpected cold and snow as spring approaches.
In Victoria, Australia, emergency responses are heightened as the state anticipates a significant heatwave with temperatures expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius. This heatwave, anticipated to strike on Wednesday, follows recent bushfires which resulted in the destruction of six homes. The community is on high alert, with emergency services minister, Jaclyn Symes, and Country Fire Association chief, Jason Heffernan, expressing concerns over the potential for Wednesday to be the most challenging fire day in four years. To combat this threat, around 550 firefighters have been deployed for fire suppression efforts. Residents in fire-prone areas are being urged to ensure they have evacuation plans ready, with some towns already advised against returning home due to the current danger.
Conversely, the United Kingdom is preparing for an abrupt shift to colder weather after an unseasonably mild February. A polar freeze is expected to sweep across the country on March 1st, bringing temperatures as low as -3°C to regions including Scotland, and slightly warmer, yet still cold, temperatures to southern England and Cornwall. The Met Office attributes this impending cold snap to “blocked” air currents over Iceland and Greenland, forecasting frost, ice, and snow. Up to 2cm of snow per hour may fall in North Wales, particularly affecting areas like Snowdonia. Despite the pending freeze, the UK anticipates a transition to drier and more settled weather conditions as it moves into spring.
