Scientists are set to untangle the complex mechanics of NZ’s monster natural hazard.

Multiple states are sweating through an intense heatwave which is set to persist into early next week, as the bushfire risk heightens across Victoria.

Today marks the third day of a heatwave as hot and dry temperatures continuing in the country's south-east prompted total fire bans in Victoria.

Heatwave warnings are in place for NSW, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania and severe conditions reaching the 40s are expected for some pockets of the country.

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Tops of 45-degrees today are forecast in many locations across Victoria will make for tricky conditions as firefighters continue to battle blazes during a heatwave.

The hot, dry and windy temperatures could pose a fire risk today in the country's south-east, particularly regions in Victoria impacted by the total fire ban. 

An extreme fire danger warning has been declared in the Mallee, Central and North Central regions of Victoria and total fire bans have been declared across the region, including Wimmera, the South West, Melbourne and Geelong.

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The bushfire in Grampians National Park, which began in mid-December, has eased but the blaze is still burning.

It has already razed through 76,000 hectares of land in the Grampians.

In NSW, extreme to severe heatwave conditions are expected to peak today and tomorrow then ease with a cool change later in the afternoon.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a three-day heatwave warning for WA, with the Northern Interior expected to see temperatures ranging from the low to mid-40s.

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Meanwhile, in NSW the south coast could bring temperatures reaching the high 30s.

Similar conditions are expected to blanket Batemans Bay, Braidwood, Bombala, Bega, Eden and Nowra in sweltering heat until late today.

Tasmania is also expected to see temperatures reaching 30-degrees in the Furneaux Islands and the north-east.

A cool change tonight is forecast to make its way across the south-east, moving into NSW, which could ease conditions early next week.

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A massive winter storm poised to unleash a barrage of heavy snow, treacherous ice, rain, and severe thunderstorms across a 2092km swath of the United States will affect an estimated 62 million people starting on Saturday afternoon and continuing into Monday.

Snow and ice so far this winter in the eastern two-thirds of the country have been limited to northern states.

But this storm will break that mould and bring treacherous conditions to millions from the Plains to the East Coast, including in areas less prone to winter weather.

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This powerful weather system is set to batter at least a dozen states with a potent mix of snow, ice, and blizzard conditions, accompanied by winds gusting up to 64km/h, creating treacherous travel conditions and potential power outages across a vast region.

"For some, this could be the heaviest snowfall in over a decade," NOAA's Weather Prediction Centre warned.

And where it's too warm for snow and ice, the storm could conjure up severe thunderstorms, including in some of the same areas still recovering from December's deadly storms.

Major effects, including "considerable disruptions to daily life … dangerous or impossible driving conditions and widespread closures," are expected from this storm through Sunday in parts of the Central US, according to the Winter Storm Severity Index.

The storm began on Saturday afternoon fuelled by a deep surge of moist air moving north out of the Gulf of Mexico.

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From there it will track east and spread a wintry mess into the Mississippi Valley and parts of the Midwest by Sunday morning.

The storm will expand into the Ohio Valley and Southeast on Sunday and to the East Coast on Sunday night and Monday.

The regions at greatest risk are clear, but exactly who gets snow, ice or mainly rain – and how much – is still incredibly difficult to determine. Small shifts in the storm's track could change the outcomes entirely. Some areas could start as snow but change over to an icy mix as warmer air enters the area, while other spots start as rain or an icy mix and gradually change over to snow.

This storm will be capable of unleashing more than a foot of snow and enough ice to knock out power just as the coldest temperatures of the season arrive in its wake.

Snow will bury some areas

The storm will lay down several inches of snow starting late Saturday, spreading into the Ohio Valley on Sunday, then reaching the mid-Atlantic on Sunday night into Monday, making the Monday commute in places like Washington, DC and Philadelphia quite hazardous.

The highest snow totals will rack up in the coldest areas, likely in parts of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia. Totals will be lower in areas where warmer air generates sleet and ice instead of snow.

The storm's forecast has put several major cities on alert for potentially historic January snowfall totals.

St. Louis has only seen four days when more than a foot of snow fell in a day — a feat that could happen on Sunday. Snow totals could range from an inch to more than a foot in parts of Missouri, depending on the storm's track. This variable forecast extends to neighboring states as well, where some regions may see snowfall approaching record-breaking levels for January.

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Kansas City and Indianapolis are among the metropolitan areas bracing for exceptional snow accumulations.

Kansas City could surpass its January record of 7.2 inches set in 2011, while Indianapolis is also in the storm's crosshairs, with forecasts suggesting the possibility of surpassing its January record of 11.4 inches, set in 2014.

The Kansas City International Airport in Missouri closed its airfield for more than two hours Saturday afternoon, citing "rapid ice accumulation," according to a post on X from the airport at 2:50 p.m. CT.

"Update: Crews have successfully treated airfield surfaces and the runways and taxiways at Kansas City International Airport (MCI) are open for flight operations," Mayor Quinton Lucas said.

Some parts of the Kansas City metro area are starting to see a "freezing drizzle," which has "begun to cover surfaces in a glaze of ice," the Weather Service said on X on Saturday afternoon.

Unlike during other storms this winter, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and upstate New York could receive little-to-no snow because of the storm's more southerly track. Some lake-effect snow is possible in Michigan and New York as the wind direction shifts both before and after the storm.

Treacherous ice to come

The greatest risk of dangerous ice will set up just south of the snowiest areas. Significant icing is possible from Kansas and Missouri through the central Appalachians and potentially parts of Maryland and Delaware.

Travel could be "nearly impossible" in the areas of heaviest icing, multiple National Weather Service offices warned.

Ahead of the storm, the governors of Kentucky and Virginia declared states of emergency, while Maryland's governor declared a state of preparedness.

"This winter storm will likely cause significant disruption and dangerous conditions on our roads and could cause significant power outages – just 24 hours before it gets dangerously cold," Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said, according to a release from his office.

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin advised those with post holiday travel plans to consider leaving on Saturday instead of Sunday, given the projected size of the storm.

"I'm encouraging all Virginians, visitors, and travelers to stay alert, monitor the weather forecast, and prepare now for any potential impacts," Youngkin said on Friday.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore's office said in a Saturday news release the state is preparing for the storm, which will "likely affect roads and transportation centers and could cause significant snow accumulation in some parts of the state".

Ice amounts of 0.25 inches or more are possible, especially in parts of southern Missouri, southern Illinois, southern Indiana and almost all of Kentucky.

Any amount of ice is dangerous; just a thin layer – a light glaze to just over 0.10 inches – can turn paved surfaces into skating rinks, causing people to slip and vehicles to slide out of control.

The thicker the ice, the worse its effects on infrastructure. Heavy ice of 0.25 inches or more weighs down trees and power lines and can snap branches or pull down electrical wires. Large amounts of ice could also completely immobilise travel by making roads impassable.

An ice storm that slammed the Central US in January of last year knocked out power to thousands and sent first responders spinning out of control as they tried to reach people in distress.

Power outages could be widespread and long-lasting if significant icing occurs and power restoration crews can't navigate treacherous roads. That situation could be dangerous or potentially deadly for those without access to heat in the extreme cold to come.

Damaging thunderstorms and soaking rain

The southern, warmer side of the storm will spread rain and some embedded thunderstorms over much of the South. Some of these thunderstorms could become severe, especially on Sunday afternoon.

A level 3 of 5 threat of severe thunderstorms is in place Sunday for parts of Louisiana, Arkansas and Mississippi, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

Damaging wind gusts and hail are the most likely threats from any severe thunderstorm but tornadoes are also possible. A tornado outbreak, including multiple rated EF3s, rocked parts of the South in late December.

Rain and storms could also cause flooding, especially where the heaviest rain falls in the Southeast.

The massive storm will finally exit the East Coast late Monday and fully diminish in strength overnight.

But Tuesday presents a new problem: Arctic cold. Temperatures will plunge as much as 30 degrees below normal for the eastern two-thirds of the US and the frigid air will last for some into at least the middle of January, locking in whatever snow and ice fall from the storm.

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Mountain biking causes 143 claims in Hawke’s Bay, costing $407,000.

The 39th US president's public funeral began in his small hometown of Plains, Georgia, after he died on December 29 aged 100.

Robert Fletcher knew there was something special about Hephner the alpaca when they were introduced to each other by a breeder almost a decade ago.

Fletcher was looking for a male alpaca to balance out the mostly female herd at his farm in Goulburn in 2016 when the two formed an unlikely bond.

Little did he know the philanthropic waves Hephner would make across Australia.

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"I think it's his temperament, he's totally unflappable," he says of Hephner. 

Hephner and Fletcher have been visiting nursing homes for the last nine years, most recently the pair have been attending Clare Holland House to comfort patients in palliative care.

"The fact that I take Hephner with me, engaging with people is quite easy, just taking an alpaca for a walk up the main street gives me an opening to tell people why I do what I do," Fletcher said.

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"We do nursing homes, we travel around a lot schools as well we get a lot of messages from people asking us to come visit."

Hephner has made appearances on TV, including Bondi Rescue, toured pubs around NSW and Queensland, and has embarked on fundraising trails across the country to raise money for mental health.

One of his most recent endeavours involved embarking on a tour of Tasmania to raise funds for Dolly's Dream – a charity committed to supporting young people affected by bullying.

"We took him on the boat to Tasmania and did two weeks travelling, raising awareness and raising money for mental health," Fletcher said.

"We try to pick a charity each year, then we go on a bit of a road trip."

Hephner has also brushed shoulders with Australian celebrities such as Jimmy Barnes and John Waters, as well as current and former MPs Jacqui Lambie and Christopher Pyne.

And, when April rolls around each year, Hephner is inundated with messages from fans asking if he'll make an appearance at the Sydney Royal Easter Show.

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But it was his interaction with the King during Charles' royal tour of Australia that captured hearts around the nation.

During King Charles' royal engagement at Circular Quay, Hephner found himself face to face with the monarch when he let out a sneeze.

The moment attracted media attention across the world, but Fletcher said the meeting almost never happened.

"My goal was to take a photo from behind with Hephner looking at King Charles," Fletcher explained.

"I never expected him to get as close as he actually did.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DCWStBOB0uT/

"They weren't even going to let us in to start with, I think they changed their mind when they realised how calm he was.

"We lined at a spot close to the fence, then a woman came down and said we'd get a better place at the top. So we stood at the fence and that was it."

In the lead-up to the festive season, Fletcher and Hephner's schedule hasn't slowed down, with the pair making appearances at Christmas parties at nursing homes and schools for children with special needs.

The pair are also hosting their annual Christmas photos at Fletcher's farm, Fletchers Ark in Goulburn. 

"(Hephner's) done weddings in the Opera House, weddings in Sydney, birthdays in Sydney," Fletcher said.

"My wife often makes a comment where if I'm working and she's to take him to a nursing home, she'll comment he doesn't behave the way he behaves for me.

"But certainly like any animal, if you spend enough time with them, you build a bond with them."

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Indie filmmaker Jeff Baena, who was married to his frequent creative collaborator Aubrey Plaza, has died. He was 47.

Baena was found dead around 10:30 am local time Friday (January 3) at a Los Angeles home, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office.

The circumstances remained unclear on Saturday.

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The office said that it was investigating and a full report wouldn't be available until the case is closed.

A representative for Plaza responded to a request for comment with a link to a story about Baena's death on the entertainment industry news site Deadline.

Baena co-wrote David O. Russell's 2004 film I Heart Huckabees and wrote and directed five of his own films, mostly dark comedies.

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Plaza starred in his directorial debut, the 2014 zombie comedy Life After Beth, and appeared in two of his other films: The Little Hours and Spin Me Round.

Plaza, 40, rose to fame playing April Ludgate on the television series Parks and Recreation and was nominated for an Emmy for her role on The White Lotus.

The couple married in 2021.

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An hour after Henry Kiss from the Portsea Surf Life Saving Club took to to social media to warn beachgoers of dangerous conditions to come, the worst was realised.

His team were alerted to an unresponsive swimmer at Gunnamatta Beach, one of Victoria's most dangerous stretches of coastline.

"Gunnamatta is a treacherous beach, it's very well known, it has large surf," Kane Treloar from Life Saving Victoria said.

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It's believed the man suffered a medical episode in the water and couldn't be revived.

His death set the tone for an incredibly busy day for rescue crews across Victoria's coastline.

A lone jet ski found off the coast of Safety Beach about 3pm also set off alarm bells.

A group of boaties waved down rescue crews after they found two boys – aged about 13 years old – struggling in the water.

One was unresponsive and bleeding from his head with a suspected spinal injury, after he was thrown from his jet ski in a collision.

The boy was rushed back to shore and met by a wall of beach towels as he was placed in a neck brace and airlifted to hospital.

In total there were 46 incidents across Victoria, including nine people pulled from a rip at Portsea, with another mass rescue at Jan Juc.

A 19-year-old was also pulled from waters at Brighton Beach.

"It just emphasises that when you are going out to the beach, it doesn't matter how dangerous it is, make sure you are looking for those red and yellow flags," Treloar reminded swimmers.

But many chose not to head the warnings.

Mount Martha, looked more like a Europen postcard, while a spot on the sand was the hottest real estate at Blairgowie and Sorrento.

Inland, firefighters braced for a different kind of extreme.

"Because it is so dry across the landscape in Victoria – particularly the west and southwestern parts of the state – it actually doesn't take much for a fire to start, take hold, and then spread," Jason Heffernan, Chief Officer from Country Fire Authority (CFA) said.

The fire in the Grampians has burnt through 46,000 hectares.

It's contained but even today in Arart, residents were forced to put out spot fires at Green Hill Lake.

The extreme heat is being fanned by a wind change.

"The cold front as it approaches is dragging that heat down from the northern parts of Australia," Miriam Bradbury from the Bureau of Meteorology told 9News.

The heat has also prompted a warning to pet owners, from the Lost Dogs Home.

"If you can't leave your hand on the pavement for seven seconds without it burning, it's way too hot for the dogs," Temira Keat from Lost Dogs Home told 9News.

There is a heatwave warning current for parts of the state, including East Gippsland and West and South Gippsland Districts.

The hot weather is set to last into tomorrow, with authorities fearing the worst is yet to come.

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For many, it's an essential part of the morning routine, but your daily coffee fix could soon come at a steep cost. 

Industry experts warn that skyrocketing bean costs are putting pressure on cafes across the nation. 

"This is happening all around Australia. This is affecting every cafe," Australian Restaurant and Cafe Association chief executive Wes Lambert said.

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"Up to 30 per cent of businesses will feel heavy pressure by these increases, and we've heard about bean prices going up as much as 50 per cent," he said. 

"The supply chain to cafes and restaurants, including beans, is often affected by weather."

A single cup of coffee is predicted to cost from $8-$12 by the end of the year. 

Local businesses say they have no choice but to lift their prices. 

"We're not just greedy and trying to make more money," Little Gossip Cafe owner Fadi Sahan said.

"We've got to increase a little bit just to make it viable to stay open."

It's not just the price of beans and milk.

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Hidden costs like packaging, wages, rent and add-ons all contribute to the price of a quality cuppa. 

For those who can't give up their caffeine fix, your local service station can fuel the cravings without breaking the bank.

These days 7/11 are offering a large coffee for $3. Coles Express and Ampol have offerings for $3.50.

But cafe owners say that with them you're paying for more than just a drink.

"If you want to enjoy your favourite cafe and your favourite cup of joe, you may end up having to pay more," Lambert said.

And that's not the only simple pleasure that will go up in price this year.

Price of beer to increase too

The cost of alcohol is also set to soar with the six-monthly increase to the alcohol excise next month.

Independent brewers say the tax kick could push them over the brink.

"Many that are just on that edge of survival, will not be able to make it," Independent Brewers Association Chief Executive Kylie Lethbridge told 9News.

"If we continue to put off staff and we continue to close, then that tax revenue is lost anyway."

The tax is expected to rise between 2-3 per cent, pushing up the price of a pint at the pub to about $15.

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"They are the ones doing it really tough and it's spreading to families, communities."

The Coalition say they are open to considering cuts.

"All cost of living measures are on the table and up for review," Ley said.

"This is a general part of taxation law that's happened on both sides of government now for many years," Regional Development Minister Kristy McBain said.

The alcohol tax is a revenue stream that brings in millions of dollars for the government.

If changes were to be made, the question would be, what is cut instead.

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The family of Lance Appleby, who became victim to a suspected fatal shark in South Australia, say the pain they are feeling is indescribable.

Appleby was attacked by a shark at Granites beach, near Streaky Bay, just before 7pm on Thursday.

The 28-year-old was one of seven children, with the family calling Streaky Bay home for 25 years.

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Today, his brother Kenneth Appleby paid tribute online to the much-loved surfer.

"The pain we are feeling as a family is impossible to describe," he wrote.

"We are absolutely devastated, and there is a gaping hole in our hearts.

"The only solace we can find is knowing that Lance was doing what he loved with a beaming smile on his face.

"Forever young, forever surfing, forever loved."

As locals laid floral tributes at the beach, volunteers continued to scour the coastline on foot for signs of Appleby.

A number of small items have been located along the shoreline, which could be linked, but the search has been stopped for the evening and will resume at low tide tomorrow.

A witness, who did not want to be named, returned to the beach today and told 9News he saw the attack unfold.

"Someone said 'call an ambulance, he's been taken', then everything went off, horns, people screaming," he said.

"I saw thrashing. I just ran right across the rocks and that's when I saw him.

"There were older blokes wanting to go out and grab him and people had to stop them.

"He wasn't far out, it was only about one-metre deep water. He was in between two people, in the middle, and it just happened to take him."

The popular beach is normally heaving with people but remained closed today as the tight-knit community grieves for one of its own.

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An online fundraiser has reached almost $20,000 for the Appleby family, with the local mayor remembering the victim as very well liked in the community.

"You wouldn't find a person with a bad word to say about him, and a genuinely good bloke," Travis Barber said in a statement.

His former Football Club Marble Range described Appleby as having "a heart of gold, who always had a smile on his face, and adored within our community".

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