Western Australian records and tropical system increase hazard exposure
The latest heat across the south and east follows record and near‑record temperatures in Western Australia earlier in the week. Locations between Kalbarri and Carnarvon recorded maximums in the high 40s, including Shark Bay at 49.2C and Gascoyne Junction at 48.9C. Carnarvon airport, which has records dating back to the 1880s, reported 47.9C, its highest January temperature. At the same time, a tropical low north‑west of Broome is under a cyclone watch, with a high probability of developing into Tropical Cyclone Luana as it tracks towards the Kimberley coast. For insurers, the combination of extreme inland heat, elevated bushfire danger, and a tropical system approaching the northwest coast is increasing attention to accumulation management across heat, bushfire, storm, and cyclone exposures.