An unseasonable winter heatwave sweeping Australia is set to bring “well above average” temperatures over the weekend, with temperatures in some parts of the interior reaching 38C.
The unusually warm weather could also bring thunderstorms to the south-east of the country over the next few days, with Melbourne on alert for winds of more than 100km/h on Sunday.
Unusually warm weather has caused several towns in Australia’s red centre to experience record-breaking winter heat.
Oodnadatta, Coober Pedy, Roxby Downs and Woomera all beat their previous winter heat records by one or two degrees.
This comes as hot, dry weather over much of the country’s interior is allowing higher temperatures to build up, according to Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Jonathon How.
“We are seeing well above average maximum temperatures for August from northern New South Wales to Queensland and the rest of the north of the country,” he said.
Mr How said the heat would persist into early next week, despite winds and the possibility of severe thunderstorms forecast for parts of northern Victoria and the New South Wales south coast.
Temperatures are expected to peak at 26C in Sydney over the weekend, following a week of spring-like weather, about 5C warmer than the same time last year, with a 70 per cent chance of up to 3mm of rain.
The hot, dry weather over much of the country’s interior has allowed higher temperatures to build up.
Despite forecasts of up to 8mm of rain on Sunday, Melbourne will also surpass last year’s temperatures, with forecast highs of up to 23C, 4C higher than this time last year.
Further north, the city of Brisbane will experience temperatures of up to 29°C, around 4°C higher than in 2023, with sunny conditions and winds of between 15 and 20 km/h.
Temperatures of 30°C and above are forecast for parts of south-east Queensland into the first half of next week.
The highest temperatures forecast for the weekend are expected in Oodnadatta, north of Coober Pedy, which is forecast to reach a potential high of 39°C over the weekend.
Elsewhere, Adelaide is set to hit 23°C over the weekend with up to 7mm of rain, Hobart is set to rise to 19°C after up to 15mm of rain on Saturday, while Canberra may hit 20°C on Sunday.
Darwin is set to record a tropical 35C, while Perth is forecast to experience 18C on Saturday with up to 25mm as a cold band brings heavy rain to south-west Western Australia this week.
Weather experts are warning that winter will return with a vengeance later in the week as a powerful cold front from the Southern Ocean dramatically collides with the weekend’s warmer system.
The upcoming cold snap will bring extreme weather conditions to southeastern Australia. On Tuesday, the front is expected to reach South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, where it could bring intense and damaging gusts to parts of the coast.
The front is expected to move northeast towards the New South Wales coast on Wednesday and could bring gale-force winds across South Australia.
The approaching cold front is expected to bring a cool change of weather, widespread showers and possibly isolated hail to Tasmania. It should also provide much-needed snowfall to alpine regions.
Next week, experts are modeling the possibility of a second cold front moving across the country, possibly bringing another wave of strong winds and additional snow to the highlands.
Australia’s recent warm weather will come to an end late next week as cold fronts move in from the Southern Ocean.
Sydney
Saturday: Medium chance of showers in the morning, clearing in the afternoon. Winds from the north at 15 to 25 km/h, turning to the northwest in the early afternoon and then to the north-northwest and light at night. Max. 26.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming north to northwest at 15 to 25 km/h by midday. Low 16. High 24.
Monday: Sunny. Northwest winds at 15 to 25 km/h, shifting to the west at 25 to 35 km/h during the morning and then light during the afternoon. Low of 17. High of 24.
Melbourne
Saturday: Clear cloudy to mostly sunny afternoon. Northwest winds at 20 to 30 km/h, turning to the north at 15 to 20 km/h at night. Max. 21.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon. Chance of a thunderstorm, possibly severe. North winds at 15 to 25 km/h increasing to 25 to 35 km/h in the morning then turning west to northwest in the evening. Min. 12. Max. 22.
Monday: Cloudy. High chance of showers in the Dandenongs, medium chance across the rest of the country. West to northwest winds at 25 to 35 km/h. Low of 12. High of 18.
Brisbane
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Light winds. Max. 26.
Sunday: Sunny. Chance of fog in the west early in the morning. Light northeast winds at 15 to 20 km/h in the afternoon and light at night. Low 14. High 29.
Monday: Sunny. Light winds from the north between 15 and 20 km/h in the afternoon and then light at night. Minimum 16. Maximum 32.
Perth
Saturday: Cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Chance of thunderstorms. Heavy showers possible in the hills. Winds northwest at 25 to 40 km/h becoming west at 30 to 45 km/h during the morning. Max. 18.
Sunday: Cloudy. Chance of light rain showers, most likely in the morning and early afternoon. Westerly winds at 15 to 25 km/h, easing in the evening. Low 12. High 20.
Monday: Cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Winds from the north to the northwest at 20 to 30 km/h increasing to 35 km/h before becoming west to the northwest at 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon. Low 12. High 22.
Adelaide
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Chance of showers. Northwest winds at 15 to 25 km/h, becoming light in the afternoon and north winds at 15 to 20 km/h at night. Max. 23.
Sunday: Cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Chance of thunderstorms. Winds from the north to northeast at 15 to 25 km/h, shifting to the west at 35 to 50 km/h in the morning. Low of 15. High of 20.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers in the morning and afternoon. West winds at 25 to 35 km/h turning to northwest at 15 to 25 km/h in the afternoon. Low of 12. High of 18.
Hobart
Saturday: Cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Light winds becoming northerly at 15 to 25 km/h during the morning and then northwesterly at 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon. Max. 12.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Northwest winds at 15 to 25 km/h, turning to the north at 15 to 20 km/h during the night. Low 9. High 18.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds west to northwest at 20 to 30 km/h. Min. 10. Max. 16.
Canberra
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Chance of light showers. Northwest winds at 20 to 30 km/h, becoming moderate in the afternoon. Max. 21.
Sunday: Cloudy. High chance of showers, more likely in the afternoon and evening. Chance of thunderstorms. Light northwest winds at 20 to 30 km/h at noon. Low 8. High 21.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Chance of light showers, most likely in the morning. Northwest winds at 20 to 25 km/h, becoming west at 20 to 30 km/h during the morning and then light overnight. Low 6. High 16.
Darwin
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Chance of light showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Winds from the northeast to southeast at 15 to 25 km/h, tending to the northwest to northeast in the afternoon and then light at night. Max. 25.
Sunday: Sunny. Light winds blowing from the east to the northeast at 15 to 25 km/h during the day and then from the northwest to the northeast during the afternoon. Low of 24. High of 35.
Monday: Sunny. Light winds from the northeast to the southeast at 15 to 25 km/h during the day and light at night. Minimum 23. Maximum 35.