An unseasonal winter heatwave baking will bring ‘very much above average’ temperatures over the weekend, with parts of the outback set to soar to as high as 38C.
The uncharacteristically warm weather may also spur storms in the country’s south-east over the coming days, with Melbourne on alert for winds of over 100km/h on Sunday.
The unusual heat has seen a number of towns in ‘s red centre swelter in record-breaking winter heat.
Oodnadatta, Coober Pedy, Roxby Downs and Woomera all surpassed their previous winter records for heat by one to two degrees.
It comes as hot and dry weather hovering across much of the country’s interior allows for higher temperatures to build up, according to meteorologist Jonathon How at the Bureau of Meteorology.
‘We are seeing maximum temperatures very much above the August average, all the way from northern NSW into 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 chance of severe thunderstorms forecast for parts of northern Victoria and the NSW south coast.
The mercury is set to reach a maximum of 26C in Sydney over the weekend, following a week of spring-like weather – about 5C hotter than at the same time last year, with a 70 per cent chance of up to 3mm of rain.
Despite forecasts of up to 8mm of rain on Sunday, Melbourne is also set to smash last year’s temperatures with forecast highs of up to 23C – 4C higher than this time last year.
Further north, Brisbane city will swelter through temperatures of up to 29C, about 4C higher than in 2023, with sunny conditions and winds of between 15-20km/h.
Temperatures of 30C and beyond are forecast for parts of south-east Queensland into the first half of next week.
The highest forecast temperatures over the weekend are expected in Oodnadatta, north of Coober Pedy, which is forecast to reach a potential high of 39C over the weekend.
Elsewhere, Adelaide will reach 23C over the weekend with up to 7mm of rain, Hobart will climb to 19C after as much as 15mm of rain on Saturday, while Canberra may reach 20C on Sunday.
Darwin will notch a tropical 35C, while Perth is forecast for 18C on Saturday with up to 25mm as a cold band brings heavy rains across southwestern Western this week.
Weather experts warn winter will return with bite later in the week, as a powerful cold front from the Southern Ocean is set to dramatically clash with the weekend’s warmer system.
The coming polar blast will generate extreme weather conditions crosses ’s south-east. On Tuesday, the front is expected to reach South , Victoria, and Tasmania, where it could cause intense, damaging gusts along parts of the coast.
The front is then expected to sweep north-east towards the NSW coast on Wednesday, and could trigger gale-force winds all over southern .
The incoming cold front is expected to usher in a cool change, widespread showers, and potentially isolated hail in Tasmania. It should also provide much-needed snowfall to the alpine regions.
Further into next week, experts are modelling the chance of a second cold front sweeping in over the country, possibly bringing another surge of strong winds and additional snow to the highlands.
Sydney
Saturday: Medium chance of showers in the morning, clearing in the afternoon. Winds northerly 15 to 25 km/h turning northwesterly in the early afternoon then becoming north to northwesterly and light in the evening. Max 26.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming north to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the middle of the day. Min 16. Max 24.
Monday: Sunny. Winds northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h turning westerly 25 to 35 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Min 17. Max 24.
Melbourne
Saturday: Cloudy clearing to a mostly sunny afternoon. Winds northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h turning northerly 15 to 20 km/h in the evening. Max 21.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely from the late morning. The chance of a thunderstorm, possibly severe. Winds northerly 15 to 25 km/h increasing to 25 to 35 km/h in the morning then turning west to northwesterly in the evening. Min 12. Max 22.
Monday: Cloudy. High chance of showers about the Dandenongs, medium chance elsewhere. Winds west to northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h. Min 12. Max 18.
Brisbane
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Light winds. Max 26.
Sunday: Sunny. The chance of fog in the west in the early morning. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon then becoming light during the evening. Min 14. Max 29.
Monday: Sunny. Light winds becoming northerly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon then becoming light during the evening. Min 16. Max 32.
Perth
Saturday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Heavy falls possible about the hills. Winds northwesterly 25 to 40 km/h tending westerly 30 to 45 km/h during the morning. Max 18.
Sunday: Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the morning and early afternoon. Winds westerly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the evening. Min 12. Max 20.
Monday: Cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Winds north to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h increasing to 35 km/h before tending west to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon. Min 12. Max 22.
Adelaide
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower. Winds northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light during the afternoon then becoming northerly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Max 23.
Sunday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds north to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h shifting westerly 35 to 50 km/h in the morning. Min 15. Max 20.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers in the morning and afternoon. Winds westerly 25 to 35 km/h turning northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h during the afternoon. Min 12. Max 18
Hobart
Saturday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Light winds becoming northerly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then tending northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the afternoon. Max 12.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Winds northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h turning northerly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Min 9. Max 18.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds west to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h. Min 10. Max 16
Canberra
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower. Winds northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h becoming light in the evening. Max 21.
Sunday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds becoming northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h in the middle of the day. Min 8. Max 21.
Monday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the morning. Winds northwesterly 20 to 25 km/h tending westerly 20 to 30 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Min 6. Max 16.
Darwin
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Winds northeast to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h tending northwest to northeasterly in the late afternoon then becoming light in the evening. Max 25.
Sunday: Sunny. Light winds becoming east to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the day then tending northwest to northeasterly during the afternoon. Min 24. Max 35.
Monday: Sunny. Light winds becoming northeast to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. Min 23. Max 35.