Parts of Western Australia have been enduring an extended heatwave and now dry winds are picking up speed, raising the bush fire threat.

Perth's extended heatwave was finally broken on Sunday, when the maximum temperature topped out at just 33 degrees. This followed a five day heatwave, where maximum temperatures climbed above 35 degrees from Tuesday of last week to Saturday. An official heatwave in Perth is classified as three or more consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures climbing above 35 degrees.

Though the temperatures have dipped slightly in Perth recently, drier easterly winds have begun to pick up speed over the state's west coast. The strengthening winds are the result of Tropical Cyclone Iggy to the north, which is interacting with a large high pressure system to the south. The strong pressure differences between these weather systems is leading to a strong easterly flow over the west coast.

The drier nature of these winds is now combining with the still very warm temperatures to
create heightened fire dangers. In the Central West district, where daytime temperatures are still soaring up to 40 degrees, a fire weather warning has been issued.

A bushfire near Wannamal, north of Perth, was still burning out of control this morning. Fires affecting areas south of Perth have been controlled as the temperatures cool slightly. The dry and gusty easterly winds will remain a threat today, before taking an easing trend from Tuesday.

This January has been warm and windy in Melbourne, the warmest in four years with a record number of warm nights, but it's ending on a wintry note.

When combining overnight and daytime temperatures, the city averaged 22.4 degrees. Overnight minimums averaged 17.3 degrees, 3 above the long-term norm. Daytime maximums averaged 27.4, 1.5 above the long-term norm and almost 2 degrees warmer than Sydney.

One reason for the warmer-than-normal days is an extra 20 minutes of sunshine per day. The city's long-term average is nine hours.

One reason for the warm-than-normal nights is the extra wind. Wind speeds have been on average about 25km/h, 12km/h stronger than the long-term norm.

This extra wind helped give the city nine nights which were 20 degrees or warmer, the highest number of nights this warm on record. Typically in January there are one or two nights this warm. The previous record of eight nights was shared by 2006, 2001 and 1981.

Whilst we did have one more rain day than normal, nine days all up, we
have only gained 26mm so far (not including any rain that falls between now and 9am Tuesday morning). The long-term average is 48mm. It makes it the driest January in two years.

A cooler, blustery change is making its way across the city, which will make the end of the month appear winter-like. Tonight will be seven degrees cooler than last night and tomorrow 12-or-13 degrees cooler than today.

Rain is easing across western Queensland as a monsoon low takes the heaviest falls into western NSW, where flooding is now likely.

The low has dumped 150-to-250mm of rain over parts of western Queensland in the last few days, some seeing their heaviest falls in many years, which has led to flooding.

Springsure, east of Longreach recorded 172mm in the last 24 hours, its heaviest rain in 36 years and heaviest January rain in 125 years of records.

Rain has been heavier and flooding more severe further west. Cowley, southeast of Quilpie has had more than 250mm in the past 48 hours, its wettest two day period since records began in 1884.

Also in the Quilpie area, Humeburn gained 185mm in 24 hours, which is a three-year high. Quilpie itself had 64mm, a one-year high.

Earlier on the weekend, Cloncurry, in the state's northwest ammassed 196mm, its highest daily rain in 21 years.

The biggest rain is heading across the New South Wales border with the southerly movement of the low. There is potential for more than
50mm in Sunday, west of about Bourke, Cobar and Hay, which may bring some flooding.

On Monday moisture from this weakening low will be drawn into a trough ahead of a front, bringing widespread rain and thunderstorms to southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania. Flash flooding is a possibilty.

From Tuesday, the trough will head east and take rain and storms across central and northern NSW and back to western Queensland. There's potential for in excess of 100mm with a good chance for further flooding. Some rain will also reach the east coast, including the recently-flooded Mid North Coast.