On the first day of summer, scorching temperatures reach a sweltering 48C – but others are hit by SNOW

Australians have been sweating and shivering on a day of extreme weather across the country on the first day of summer.

The brutal weekend heat wave continued across much of the east and south of the country, with temperatures reaching as far as the mid-1940s in central NSW, Queensland and South Australia.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning of extreme heatwaves on Tuesday after the temperature peaked 18 ° C above average.

At the other end of the scale, snow will hit Tasmania’s alpine regions on Wednesday.

In extreme contrast, snow is forecast for alpine regions in Tasmania, including Mount Wellington in Hobart (pictured)

“In late spring and early summer we always see the greatest temperature contrasts in Australia,” said Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino.

Bourke in northwestern NSW was the hottest place in the country on Tuesday with a top temperature of 48C predicted.

In Queensland, Birdsville hit 47 ° C with windy conditions, with the north east of NSW said to feel the heat Wednesday.

Total fire bans are in effect in seven areas, including North Western, Northern Slopes, Lower Central West Plains, Central Ranges, Northern Riverina, Eastern Riverina and Southern Riverina, NSW RFS warned on Twitter.

Extreme weather conditions hold back Queensland firefighters as they try to quell a devastating forest fire on World Heritage Fraser Island.

More than 40 percent of the tourist Mecca has been razed to the ground by uncontrolled fire.

Some parts of central NSW, Queensland and South Africa peaked at 18 ° C above average on Tuesday

A devastating forest fire burned more than 40 percent of Fraser Island, a World Heritage Site (photo)

The fire has been burning for more than six weeks after it was sparked by an illegal campfire, with tourists currently unable to arrive on the island.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Service said the weather forecast continues to fuel the fire.

“Smoke will affect visibility and air quality on K’gari (Fraser Island) and adjacent mainland areas in the coming days,” said QFES.

Blistering conditions were in Western Sydney on Tuesday, with Penrith hitting a scorching 41C.

But the southern part of the country has dodged the extreme heat, with a strong cold front moving through NSW’s Alpine regions Tuesday afternoon.

Tonight there is a damaging wind warning for snowy areas, including Perisher and Charlotte’s Pass, with gusts of more than 90 km / h possibly above 1200 meters.

Central NSW and Queensland took the brunt of the heatwave and experienced temperatures in excess of 40 ° C for four days in a row

Further south in Tasmania, there are likely to be nighttime snowfalls.

Snow is forecast for alpine areas above 900 meters, with Mount Wellington in Hobart likely to show a slight dusting of dust at dawn on Wednesday.

The extreme weather contrast is nothing new to Australia’s early summer and occurs when warm and cold air masses intersect before the wet season begins.

“ At this time of year we have weather patterns where cold air is moving up from the Southern Ocean – which is still cold at this time of year – and hot air is building up over Central and Northern Australia before the wet season arrives, and this is a very hot air mass for the beginning of summer, ”said Mr Domensino.

‘When we see those two air masses collide, the temperature contrast can be quite dramatic.’

Brisbane boiled at 32 ° C on Tuesday, while Melbourne hit 27 ° C with evolving showers.

Perth reached 24C in mostly sunny conditions while Adelaide was gusty with a maximum of 21C.

Hobart reached 26 ° C, while Canberra and Darwin reached 35 ° C and 33 ° C, respectively.

Snow is forecast tonight in Tasmania after rainy conditions developed in the state tonight