Author: Ailie Gallant, Associate Professor, ARC Centre of Excellence for Weather of the 21st Century, Monash University

As a dome of heat developed over north and central Australia last weekend, parts of the country braced themselves for their first taste of summer temperatures well in excess of 40°C. Some areas expected their hottest temperatures since the Black Summer of 2019–20. The southeast was on high alert, with searing heat and gusty winds expected, bringing the threat of extreme fire conditions through South Australia and Victoria on Monday and into New South Wales on Tuesday. The north and central parts of Australia were expected to swelter through the week. But as the furnace drew closer, many people who…