Sydney to Hobart yacht race forecast to be cold, wet and bumpy as Australia’s west faces bushfire threat

Melbourne on track for coldest Christmas since 2006, while Perth is facing several fires warnings as temperatures reach 40CGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Sydney to Hobart yacht race is forecast to be cold, wet and bumpy but without a repeat of last year’s fatal conditions, as the rest of the country experiences the full range of weather events over the Christmas period, including cyclone and bushfire danger in the west.In Western Australia, residents at Boddington Goldmine were being warned it was too late to leave on Thursday afternoon as fire had impacted evacuation routes. A heatwave was creating extreme fire danger for much of south-west Western Australia for Christmas, with Perth forecast to reach 40C. Continue reading…