Perth is facing a scorching start to summer, as the state government launches a free bus service to one of the city’s most popular beaches.
The mercury is tipped to hit 34 degrees Celsius on Sunday, before a roasting start to summer on Monday with a top of 38 degrees expected.
The rest of the week looks picture perfect, with maximum temperatures in the high 20s.
The Bureau of Meteorology said its three-month outlook was projecting a hotter summer for the state.
“Maximum temperatures throughout WA are likely to be above average during the summer months, with warmer daytime temperatures,” meteorologist Caroline Crow said.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s Caroline Crow says it’s shaping as a long, hot summer in Perth. (ABC News: Daryna Zadvirna)
“It’s still in the early days to see whether these temperatures do continue to extend into autumn.”
Ms Crow said a high-pressure system was building in the bight and would bring warmer weather to WA next week.
“Those east-north easterly winds over inland parts of the state are bringing a hot, dry air mass towards the west coast,” she said.
“It’s this that is causing above average temperatures, and some very hot conditions over parts of the west coast are coming from Sunday and into early next week.”
New bus launched
With the hot weather imminent, the state government has launched a free bus servicing the coast, an extension of its city CAT (Central Area Transit) bus service.
Scarborough Beach is one of Perth’s most popular destinations. (ABC News: Mya Kordic)
The “Surf CAT” will travel between Scarborough Beach and Stirling Train Station.
“We know that Scarborough beach is getting more and more popular and we know in particular it’s harder and harder to find a parking spot,” Transport Minister Rita Saffioti said.
Ms Saffioti said the bus had been modified to allow space for surfboards.
Rita Saffioti stands next to racks for surfboards on board the government’s new Surf CAT bus to Scarborough Beach. (ABC News: Mya Kordic)
The service will begin on Sunday with four buses, and there will eventually be six servicing the route.
“I think this will be a very well used service, and … just make it so much easier for families, for young people to be able to access this incredible part of the world,” she said.
Parking pressure
Scarborough MLA Stuart Aubrey said the bus would support a “growing” community.
“We’re doing our part to diversify the WA economy with tourism and that’s bringing challenges through traffic and parking congestion,” he said.
“Anybody that’s come to Scarborough knows that parking throughout summer, even coming into winter, is becoming really, really difficult.
Stuart Aubrey is the MLA for Scarborough. (ABC News: Stuart Aubrey)
“This is an answer to that.”
Local cafe owner Oskar Tallis said redevelopment had made Scarborough a victim of its own success.
The new service will make Scarborough Beach more accessible. (ABC News: Mya Kordic)
“We’ve been here for seven years, so definitely one of the biggest chats day-to-day is probably the parking problems,” he said.
“Anything that’s alleviating some of that strain I guess, is really good to see.”
Mr Tallis said the area had become more popular with families in recent years and the new service could accommodate them.
One of the new Scarborough Surf CAT bus services. (ABC News: Mya Kordic)
“Anything that can get people down and enjoy it without having to find a car park is probably a great thing,” he said.
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