Australia

Summer continues to back-fire as more cloud, wind and low temperatures affect a number of regions yet again - but WeatherWatch.co.nz says there's still enough time for things to warm up further...but only just.

Deadly slips and flooding continue to affect Fiji while Queensland and now New South Wales are facing torrential rain as tropical and sub-tropical rain makers start to head south.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says conditions have stepped up significantly in the past two weeks across the tropics and now it's heading further south, closer to New Zealand.

The monsoon trough is strengthening, bringing an increased risk of cyclone activity to Australian waters. 

Summer has well and truly reared its head in Melbourne, just in time to welcome the start of the Australian Open. The mercury has soared into the low 30's on Monday, over 10 degrees warmer than last week's chilly day-times, making for sizzling on-court conditions.

Brisbane has just had its heaviest rain since last summer, bringing an end to its driest start to January in a decade.

The city gained 44mm in the 23 hours to 8am Monday, its highest daily total since February 2011, when 69mm fell in a day.

Tropical Cyclone Heidi has been downgraded to a storm as it continues to move across Western Australia's Pilbara region.

The cyclone was a category 2 when it crossed the Pilbara coast to the east of Port Hedland yesterday but was downgraded to a category 1 not long after.

Tropical Cyclone Heidi is moving over the Pilbara region of Western Australia and is expected to hit the town of Port Hedland about now.

Maximum temperatures nudged 30 degrees across Melbourne and Hobart on Sunday but it will be the last taste of heat this week, with a cold blast on the way. 

Temperatures are finally on the rise for Sydney and Brisbane with both cities expecting their warmest days of summer within the next week.