Perth was the hottest capital city in the country today, with a Christmas Eve scorcher that topped 40C.
By 7am, Perth was already tipping 30C, and the temperature climbed rapidly to crack 40C just before midday â for the second day in a row.
James Ashley from the WA Bureau of Meteorology said the temperature was due to the position of the west coast trough.
Perth baked beneath a summer sun that lifted temperatures to more than 40C.(9News)
"So if it's on or just off the coast, we get those strong easterly winds and temperatures that approach 40C," he said.