Weather window for balloonist's record bid

A Russian balloonist hopes to launch a world record attempt from a West Australian Wheatbelt town this week after being held up by poor weather.

The late American adventurer Steve Fossett was the first person to fly a helium/hot air balloon around the world non-stop in 2002, covering more than 30,000km in 13 days.

Fedor Konyukhov, 64, wants to do it more quickly and will set out from the same WA town, Northam.

The local shire says the balloon will be inflated on Monday evening and launched at first light on Tuesday, depending on the weather.

"There is still a slight chance of the launch being postposed however the likelihood of launch is high," the Shire of Northam said on its Facebook page.

The launch was scheduled for July 2 but adverse weather thwarted that plan.

Mr Konyukhov accomplished his first expedition at the age of 15, rowing across the Sea of Azov off the southern shores of Russia and Ukraine.

His formidable list of achievements includes authoring 17 books and reaching five extreme poles, including Mount Everest and the pole of inaccessibility in the Arctic Ocean.