Heatwave across Australia’s south-east continues for eighth day ahead of a welcome cool change
The BoM forecasts parts of inland NSW will exceed 45C on Saturday, with Thargomindah in Queensland to reach 46C, Mildura 45C and Canberra 41C
A cool change this weekend is expected to bring an end to eight consecutive days of blistering temperatures above 40C in Australia’s south-east.
But before it does, the heat continued on Saturday. Heatwave warnings remained in place for parts of every state and territory excluding Tasmania, with Canberra forecast to reach a top of 41C and parts of inland New South Wales, including Broken Hill, expected to climb higher than 45C.
Maximums peaked around 50C on Friday across the northern parts of South Australia and western NSW, including 49.8C at Marree and 50C at Andamooka near Roxby Downs – both record temperatures. It was the seventh day the temperature was above 46C in Marree.
Ceduna climbed above 49C this week, while temperatures rose above 48C in Port Augusta, Port Pirie and Tarcoola.
Top temperatures forecast for Saturday included 49C at Ivanhoe in western NSW, 48C at Wilcannia and 47C at Cobar. Mildura in Victoria was forecast to reach 45C, while further north, Thargomindah in Queensland was expected to reach 46C.
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Dean Narramore, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said inland parts of south-eastern Australia had suffered through record heat all week, with Saturday marking the final day of temperatures in the mid to high 40s.
He said widespread rain and storms across tropical north Australia due to a monsoon low would bring cooler air to parts of Victoria and South Australia on Saturday, sweeping through the remainder of the country’s south-east on Sunday. Temperatures could tumble by as much as 15C.
“Through inland areas, heat will really be the big story once again, where we see another day of temperatures in the mid to high 40s through south-western parts of Queensland,” he said.
“Another very hot day is on the way on Saturday in northern South Australia, but it’ll be much cooler through southern South Australia thanks to those fresh and gusty south to south-easterly winds, with temperatures in the high 20s to low 30s.”
In NSW, Narramore said temperatures would once again soar in the mid to high 40s in the west, with cooler conditions expected on the coast and thunderstorms in the south-east.
Temperatures were expected to reach the mid 40s in Victoria’s north-west for the final day, with cooler conditions continuing along southern parts of the state.
Two fires in Victoria were not yet under control on Saturday, including at Carlisle River in the Otways and the Walwa bushfire on the NSW border. Both were at a watch and act level, with communities slowly returning to the area.
On Sunday, Sydney was expected to reach a top of 29C, with showers and thunderstorms possible, while Canberra was forecast to drop down to 31C and Melbourne to reach a maximum of 19C with a few showers. Brisbane was forecast to reach 33C, while Adelaide was expected to reach 25C.
Australia is experiencing its second major heatwave for January, off the back of another earlier in the month, which analysts said was made five times more likely due to global heating.
The climate crisis has increased the frequency and severity of extreme weather events, including heatwaves and bushfires.
Hotter than average days and nights were expected to continue until April for much of the country, according to the latest long-range forecast. Sea surface temperatures would remain warmer than average globally, including around Australia.