A severe heatwave will push temperatures to the mid-forties from tomorrow to Friday in parts of northern New South Wales and Southwest Queensland, according to Weatherzone.
Behind the hear is an area of high pressure to the east of Australia, which will stubbornly hold a mass of hot air over parts of New South Wales and Queensland for the remainder of the week.
Weatherzone’s Ben Domensino said Bourke is set to endure two 45 degrees days and Birdsville up to four.
Some inland locations in southeast Queensland will near 40 on these days.
Relatively light winds and elevated humidity will help to keep fire danger ratings suppressed across eastern Australia, but there is still a risk of dangerous bush and grass fires.
A cool change will flush the heat out of New South Wales and southwest Queensland on Saturday and southeast Queensland on Sunday.
The eastern states aren’t alone with the hot weather this week. with a low spinning over the interior driving hot air towards the Indian Ocean.
A cool southwesterly change will reach Perth on Wednesday and sweep across the South West Land Division on Thursday.
Special Climate Statement
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a Special Climate Statement on the tropical conditions affecting a wide area of Australia in late December 2016.
Key points include
- More than 200mm rainfall between 20–31 December across most of the Kimberley region and Northern Territory, with more than 400 mm in northern Kimberley and western Top End
Significant daily rainfall totals:231.6 mm at Wulungurru, near Northern Territory–Western Australia border on 26 December
225.6 mm at Broome on 23 December
100+ mm at several sites in southwestern Northern Territory, Adelaide Hills and Victorian Alps
Well above average temperatures, particularly overnight temperatures in southern South Australia, most of Victoria and Tasmania, and southern New South Wales
Exceptionally high humidity, with some areas in South Australia and Victoria experiencing levels that would be considered high even in tropical locations.
Click here to view the full climate statement
Source: Bureau of Meteorology, Weatherzone. Health advice relating to heatwaves can be found through your state’s public health website and the latest fire weather warnings are available at: http://www.weatherzone.com.au/warnings.jsp
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