From heatwaves in the West to unstable and stormy conditions in the East, the lull in Australia’s wild weather since January is officially over. Forecasters say the heat in Western Oz has combined with a trough over southeastern Oz – perfect for storms, wind gusts and large hail. Parts of Sydney and the Central Coast got a taste of it yesterday with flash flooding. By the end of the week, showers and thunderstorms are expected to extend from tropical Queensland all the way to Tassie with it up to 100mm of rain expected. In Western Oz, consistent temperatures in the high 30s have again increased the risk of bushfires. “There’s no really significant rainfall forecast for WA at all,” meteorologist Sarah Scully said. So while summer is officially over at the end of next week, expect tropical conditions to last for a while yet.