The east&nbsp;coast of Australia, especially Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) experienced heavy rain&nbsp;and thunderstorms on Thursday.

Australians are hopeful that the bushfires would be extinguished after the rains&nbsp;or at least the intensity fires will reduce.

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&nbsp;

However, it is similar to a 'double-edged sword' as according to officials, they were short but intense thunderstorms which may lead to flash flooding and lightening could also lead to the blazing of new fires''.

<img alt="NASA picture of Australian bushfire" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="2608717a-3522-4ad5-8289-8593dfd7d55f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/aus-1-4.jpg" />

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-bushfires-cooler-temperature-and-rainfall-ease-conditions-ahead-of-rough-night-273517">Bureau of Meterology</a> said, ''unsettled weather conditions are expected for the next four or five days''.

''Soaking, steady rain is needed instead of a quick rainfall,'' he added.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/making-sense-of-australias-bushfire-crisis-means-asking-hard-questions-and-listening-to-the-answers-272544">Also read:&nbsp;Making sense of Australia’s bushfire crisis means asking hard questions</a>

Australia has been ravaged by its worst bushfire season which has claimed the lives of 29 individuals and millions of animals and has destroyed more than 2,500 houses and land twice the size of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europe-trip-to-get-costlier-as-schengen-visa-fee-hiked-to-eu80-from-february-2-274424">Switzerland.</a>

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At least 85 fires are still alight across NSW&nbsp;and 19 in Victoria.

Although the wet weather had brought some relief from smoke haze that had engulfed the major cities of the country.

Still, Canberra and Melbourne were enlisted in the top 30 most polluted cities globally.

 
&nbsp;

The east coast of Australia, especially Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) experienced heavy rain and thunderstorms on Thursday. Australians are hopeful that the bushfires would be extinguished after the rains or at least the intensity fires will reduce.

The east coast of Australia, especially Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) experienced heavy rain and thunderstorms on Thursday. Australians are hopeful that the bushfires would be extinguished after the rains or at least the intensity fires will reduce. × However, it is similar to a 'double-edged sword' as according to officials, they were short but intense thunderstorms which may lead to flash flooding and lightening could also lead to the blazing of new fires''. The Bureau of Meterology said, ''unsettled weather conditions are expected for the next four or five days''. ''Soaking, steady rain is needed instead of a quick rainfall,'' he added. Also read: Making sense of Australia’s bushfire crisis means asking hard questions Australia has been ravaged by its worst bushfire season which has claimed the lives of 29 individuals and millions of animals and has destroyed more than 2,500 houses and land twice the size of Switzerland. × At least 85 fires are still alight across NSW and 19 in Victoria. Although the wet weather had brought some relief from smoke haze that had engulfed the major cities of the country. Still, Canberra and Melbourne were enlisted in the top 30 most polluted cities globally.

After bushfire, Australian east coast experiences heavy rain and thunderstorms

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-bushfires-wildlife-destroyed-by-intense-wildfires-could-take-decades-to-recover-271954">Bushfires</a> burned dangerously out of control on Australia's east coast on Saturday, fanned by high temperatures and strong winds that had firefighters battling to save lives and property, as a change in wind conditions merged several large fire fronts.

By late evening, Victoria had 14 fires rated at emergency or evacuate warning levels, and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/toddler-son-receives-posthumous-medal-for-killed-australian-firefighter-271622">New South Wales</a> had 11 rated emergency, with more than 150 others burning across the states. New fires had started, and others had broken containment lines.

"There are a number of fires that are coming together, very strong, very large, intense fires that are creating some of these fire-generated thunderstorms," New South Wales <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-navy-evacuates-people-trapped-in-mallacoota-as-bushfires-rage-271833">Rural Fire Service</a> (RFS) Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said at an evening briefing.

"And unfortunately we've still got many hours to go of these elevated and dangerous conditions."

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said conditions were deteriorating rapidly as a gusty southerly wind change pushed up the coast and smoke plumes from the fires triggered storms.

Authorities are worried the fires could turn out to be worse than New Year's Eve when they burnt massive tracts of bushland and forced thousands of residents and summer holidaymakers to seek refuge on beaches.

In Victoria, Premier Daniel Andrews said while conditions were difficult, the job of firefighters had been made easier by tens of thousands of people following advice to evacuate.

It may be Sunday or later before damage assessments can be made. Prime Minister <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-scrambles-to-reach-thousands-stranded-by-bushfires-at-least-8-dead-271387">Scott Morrison</a> put the national death toll from the current fire season, which began in September, at 23. Twelve of those are from this week's fires alone.

In updates, the NSW RFS repeatedly delivered the same blunt advice to those who had not evacuated at-risk areas: "It is too late to leave. Seek shelter as the fire approaches."

Residents used social media to post photos of the sky turning black and red from the smoke and glare of the fires, including in the Victorian town of Mallacoota, where around 1,000 people were evacuated by sea on Friday.

The first of those evacuees arrived near Melbourne on Saturday morning after a 20-hour journey by boat and a second ship with about 1,000 people landed in the afternoon.

The federal government announced an unprecedented call up of army reservists to support firefighters as well other resources including a third navy ship equipped for disaster and humanitarian relief.

Andy Gillham, the incident controller in the Victorian town of Bairnsdale, said the area had avoided the worst of the fires on Saturday but stressed this was an exceptional fire season.

"In a normal year, we would start to see the fire season kick-off in a big way around early January and we're already up towards a million hectares of burnt country. This is a marathon event and we expect to be busy managing these fires for at least the next eight weeks," he said.

<img alt="The sky turns red" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4b9e1139-b51c-418d-b02a-6bd8b6bc57bf" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202020-01-04T161928.829_2.jpg" /> 
[The sky turns red in New South Wales, Australia. (Courtesy: Reuters)]

Temperatures topped 45C (113F) in much of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-bushfires-wildlife-destroyed-by-intense-wildfires-could-take-decades-to-recover-271954">Sydney</a> metropolitan area, with Penrith recording a high of 48.9C (120F) according to the BOM. Canberra, the national capital, recorded a temperature of 44C just after 4 p.m., which the chief minister said was a record for the territory.

As the fires have flared, many towns have been isolated as major and minor roads are closed. Some fires are generating their own storm systems, which create the risk of lightning strikes generating new fires.

A late southerly wind change on Saturday dramatically lowered temperatures but also brought wind gusts of 70-80 km per hour (43-50 miles per hour) that caused some major fires near the border of Victoria and New South Wales states to merge and strengthen.

In South Australia, two people died on Kangaroo Island, a popular holiday spot not far off the coast. South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said more than 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) have burned there, about one-quarter of the total area.

Six people remain unaccounted for in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-calls-in-reserve-forces-to-tackle-bushfire-crisis-272029">Victoria</a>, Premier Andrews said on Saturday, down from 28 reported on Friday.

The focus on Saturday is preventing more loss of life, authorities said. National parks have been closed and people urged earlier this week to evacuate large parts of NSW's south coast and Victoria's northeastern regions, magnets for holidaymakers at the peak of Australia's summer school holidays.

Morrison confirmed that his visit to India and Japan scheduled for mid-January had been postponed due to the fires.

More than 5.25 million hectares (13 million acres) of land has been burnt this fire season.

Bushfires burned dangerously out of control on Australia's east coast on Saturday, fanned by high temperatures and strong winds that had firefighters battling to save lives and property, as a change in wind conditions merged several large fire fronts.

Bushfires burned dangerously out of control on Australia's east coast on Saturday, fanned by high temperatures and strong winds that had firefighters battling to save lives and property, as a change in wind conditions merged several large fire fronts. By late evening, Victoria had 14 fires rated at emergency or evacuate warning levels, and New South Wales had 11 rated emergency, with more than 150 others burning across the states. New fires had started, and others had broken containment lines. "There are a number of fires that are coming together, very strong, very large, intense fires that are creating some of these fire-generated thunderstorms," New South Wales Rural Fire Service (RFS) Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons said at an evening briefing. "And unfortunately we've still got many hours to go of these elevated and dangerous conditions." The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said conditions were deteriorating rapidly as a gusty southerly wind change pushed up the coast and smoke plumes from the fires triggered storms. Authorities are worried the fires could turn out to be worse than New Year's Eve when they burnt massive tracts of bushland and forced thousands of residents and summer holidaymakers to seek refuge on beaches. In Victoria, Premier Daniel Andrews said while conditions were difficult, the job of firefighters had been made easier by tens of thousands of people following advice to evacuate. It may be Sunday or later before damage assessments can be made. Prime Minister Scott Morrison put the national death toll from the current fire season, which began in September, at 23. Twelve of those are from this week's fires alone. In updates, the NSW RFS repeatedly delivered the same blunt advice to those who had not evacuated at-risk areas: "It is too late to leave. Seek shelter as the fire approaches." Residents used social media to post photos of the sky turning black and red from the smoke and glare of the fires, including in the Victorian town of Mallacoota, where around 1,000 people were evacuated by sea on Friday. The first of those evacuees arrived near Melbourne on Saturday morning after a 20-hour journey by boat and a second ship with about 1,000 people landed in the afternoon. The federal government announced an unprecedented call up of army reservists to support firefighters as well other resources including a third navy ship equipped for disaster and humanitarian relief. Andy Gillham, the incident controller in the Victorian town of Bairnsdale, said the area had avoided the worst of the fires on Saturday but stressed this was an exceptional fire season. "In a normal year, we would start to see the fire season kick-off in a big way around early January and we're already up towards a million hectares of burnt country. This is a marathon event and we expect to be busy managing these fires for at least the next eight weeks," he said. [The sky turns red in New South Wales, Australia. (Courtesy: Reuters)] Temperatures topped 45C (113F) in much of the Sydney metropolitan area, with Penrith recording a high of 48.9C (120F) according to the BOM. Canberra, the national capital, recorded a temperature of 44C just after 4 p.m., which the chief minister said was a record for the territory. As the fires have flared, many towns have been isolated as major and minor roads are closed. Some fires are generating their own storm systems, which create the risk of lightning strikes generating new fires. A late southerly wind change on Saturday dramatically lowered temperatures but also brought wind gusts of 70-80 km per hour (43-50 miles per hour) that caused some major fires near the border of Victoria and New South Wales states to merge and strengthen. In South Australia, two people died on Kangaroo Island, a popular holiday spot not far off the coast. South Australian Premier Steven Marshall said more than 100,000 hectares (247,000 acres) have burned there, about one-quarter of the total area. Six people remain unaccounted for in Victoria, Premier Andrews said on Saturday, down from 28 reported on Friday. The focus on Saturday is preventing more loss of life, authorities said. National parks have been closed and people urged earlier this week to evacuate large parts of NSW's south coast and Victoria's northeastern regions, magnets for holidaymakers at the peak of Australia's summer school holidays. Morrison confirmed that his visit to India and Japan scheduled for mid-January had been postponed due to the fires. More than 5.25 million hectares (13 million acres) of land has been burnt this fire season.

Fuelled by high temperatures and strong winds, Australian bushfires continues rage

Australia continued a string of "hottest ever" months in March, the government said Monday, as global warming emerges as the hot button issue in national elections just weeks away.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the country had experienced the warmest March on record, with mean maximum and minimum temperatures above average for nearly all of the vast continent nation.

BOM said the national mean temperature was 2.13 degrees centigrade (3.83 degrees Fahrenheit) above the long-term average for the month of March.

It was the fourth month in a row of record heat in the country, and January was Australia's hottest month ever, with mean temperatures across the continent exceeding 30 degrees Celsius for the first time.

There was some relief for regions suffering from prolonged drought, however, as two tropical cyclones that struck northern and western Australia in March bought badly needed rains.

"Unfortunately, the rain needed to reduce significant rainfall deficiencies in drought-affected areas is substantial and will require above average rainfall over a prolonged period to completely remove deficits at longer timescales," BOM said.

Meteorologists say weather patterns over the Indian and Pacific oceans have contributed to the higher temperatures, but that long-term climate change trends were also involved.

The problem of climate change has emerged as a key issue in national elections due to be held by mid-May.

The conservative coalition government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been reluctant to back steep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions blamed for contributing to global warming for fear this would hurt the country's huge coal industry and undermine economic growth.

The main opposition Labor Party, which leads the conservatives in opinion polls, on Monday unveiled a raft of proposals to cut greenhouse gas emissions, including through promotion of renewable energy sources and electric motor vehicles. &nbsp;

Australia continued a string of "hottest ever" months in March, the government said Monday, as global warming emerges as the hot button issue in national elections just weeks away.

Australia continued a string of "hottest ever" months in March, the government said Monday, as global warming emerges as the hot button issue in national elections just weeks away. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the country had experienced the warmest March on record, with mean maximum and minimum temperatures above average for nearly all of the vast continent nation. BOM said the national mean temperature was 2.13 degrees centigrade (3.83 degrees Fahrenheit) above the long-term average for the month of March. It was the fourth month in a row of record heat in the country, and January was Australia's hottest month ever, with mean temperatures across the continent exceeding 30 degrees Celsius for the first time. There was some relief for regions suffering from prolonged drought, however, as two tropical cyclones that struck northern and western Australia in March bought badly needed rains. "Unfortunately, the rain needed to reduce significant rainfall deficiencies in drought-affected areas is substantial and will require above average rainfall over a prolonged period to completely remove deficits at longer timescales," BOM said. Meteorologists say weather patterns over the Indian and Pacific oceans have contributed to the higher temperatures, but that long-term climate change trends were also involved. The problem of climate change has emerged as a key issue in national elections due to be held by mid-May. The conservative coalition government of Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been reluctant to back steep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions blamed for contributing to global warming for fear this would hurt the country's huge coal industry and undermine economic growth. The main opposition Labor Party, which leads the conservatives in opinion polls, on Monday unveiled a raft of proposals to cut greenhouse gas emissions, including through promotion of renewable energy sources and electric motor vehicles.

Australia sees record temperatures for fourth month in a row

A severe category 3 cyclone blew into the key mining region of Pilbara in Western Australia Sunday, forcing evacuations and a halt to port operations, as the north of the country dealt with the effects of an even more powerful storm that hit the previous day.

Cyclone Veronica weakened from a category 4 storm before its core winds hit the coast near the mining centre of Port Hedland, but officials warned the system was slow moving and would continue pounding the region with gale force winds and heavy rain for 24 to 48 hours.&nbsp;

The Bureau of Meteorology said Veronica's forward movement had stalled around midday Sunday before its eye made landfall, and was forecast to weaken to a category 1 storm overnight and then veer west along the coastline.

It said the "severe" storm was producing wind gusts of up to 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph), pushing a storm surge of up to two metres (seven feet) onto the coast.

Rainfall was expected to hit 20-40 centimetres, it said.

"Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide mark with damaging waves and very dangerous coastal inundation," the bureau said.&nbsp;

Major mining and energy companies took precautionary steps across the region, a hub of liquefied natural gas and iron-ore exports, with ports cleared of ships and non-essential staff evacuated, according to australianminining.com.au website.&nbsp;

Australia's western coast usually sees three or four cyclones per year and emergency services said residents were well prepared for this storm.

Meanwhile, Cyclone Trevor, which hit northern Australia on Saturday as a powerful category 4, weakened to a tropical storm overnight as it moved inland in the sparsely populated region.

Officials said no deaths, injuries or significant damage had been reported from the storm, but that heavy rains were continuing and flooding was still a danger.

The army and police had evacuated more than 2,000 residents from outposts in Trevor's path, many of them indigenous communities, and people began returning to their homes on Sunday, police said.

A severe category 3 cyclone blew into the key mining region of Pilbara in Western Australia Sunday, forcing evacuations and a halt to port operations, as the north of the country dealt with the effects of an even more powerful storm that hit the previous day.

A severe category 3 cyclone blew into the key mining region of Pilbara in Western Australia Sunday, forcing evacuations and a halt to port operations, as the north of the country dealt with the effects of an even more powerful storm that hit the previous day. Cyclone Veronica weakened from a category 4 storm before its core winds hit the coast near the mining centre of Port Hedland, but officials warned the system was slow moving and would continue pounding the region with gale force winds and heavy rain for 24 to 48 hours. The Bureau of Meteorology said Veronica's forward movement had stalled around midday Sunday before its eye made landfall, and was forecast to weaken to a category 1 storm overnight and then veer west along the coastline. It said the "severe" storm was producing wind gusts of up to 200 kilometres per hour (120 mph), pushing a storm surge of up to two metres (seven feet) onto the coast. Rainfall was expected to hit 20-40 centimetres, it said. "Tides are likely to rise significantly above the normal high tide mark with damaging waves and very dangerous coastal inundation," the bureau said. Major mining and energy companies took precautionary steps across the region, a hub of liquefied natural gas and iron-ore exports, with ports cleared of ships and non-essential staff evacuated, according to australianminining.com.au website. Australia's western coast usually sees three or four cyclones per year and emergency services said residents were well prepared for this storm. Meanwhile, Cyclone Trevor, which hit northern Australia on Saturday as a powerful category 4, weakened to a tropical storm overnight as it moved inland in the sparsely populated region. Officials said no deaths, injuries or significant damage had been reported from the storm, but that heavy rains were continuing and flooding was still a danger. The army and police had evacuated more than 2,000 residents from outposts in Trevor's path, many of them indigenous communities, and people began returning to their homes on Sunday, police said.

Australia hit with second 'severe' cylcone in two days

A "very destructive" category 4 cyclone slammed into Australia's remote northern coast on Saturday, while a second, equally powerful storm bore down on the country's west.

Cyclone Trevor, pushing a huge storm tide and packing winds of up to 250 kilometres per hou, made landfall on the sparsely populated Northern Territory coast near the Gulf of Carpentaria town of Port McArthur, national broadcaster ABC reported.

The army and police had already evacuated most residents from communities in Trevor's path, though a handful of locals remained behind, police told the ABC.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said Trevor was driving a "very dangerous storm tide" along coastal regions and that heavy rainfall was expected to cause flooding across wide areas of the Northern Territory and neighbouring Queensland.

Meanwhile, another category 4 cyclone, Veronica, was bearing down on the more heavily populated mining region of Pilbara in Western Australia state, where it was expected to make landfall late Saturday or Sunday. &nbsp;

Jonathan Howe of the BOM said Veronica was expected to slow down as it approached the coast near the mining centre of Port Hedland, carrying up to a metre of rain for some areas and pushing a storm surge than could reach four metres (nine feet).

"We could see widespread inundation," of the region, he said.

A "very destructive" category 4 cyclone slammed into Australia's remote northern coast on Saturday, while a second, equally powerful storm bore down on the country's west.

A "very destructive" category 4 cyclone slammed into Australia's remote northern coast on Saturday, while a second, equally powerful storm bore down on the country's west. Cyclone Trevor, pushing a huge storm tide and packing winds of up to 250 kilometres per hou, made landfall on the sparsely populated Northern Territory coast near the Gulf of Carpentaria town of Port McArthur, national broadcaster ABC reported. The army and police had already evacuated most residents from communities in Trevor's path, though a handful of locals remained behind, police told the ABC. The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said Trevor was driving a "very dangerous storm tide" along coastal regions and that heavy rainfall was expected to cause flooding across wide areas of the Northern Territory and neighbouring Queensland. Meanwhile, another category 4 cyclone, Veronica, was bearing down on the more heavily populated mining region of Pilbara in Western Australia state, where it was expected to make landfall late Saturday or Sunday. Jonathan Howe of the BOM said Veronica was expected to slow down as it approached the coast near the mining centre of Port Hedland, carrying up to a metre of rain for some areas and pushing a storm surge than could reach four metres (nine feet). "We could see widespread inundation," of the region, he said.

Twin cyclones batter Australia