Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane weather: Temperatures soar on Australia’s east coast sparking fire, heatwave warning

Millions of Australians are bracing for a hot and stormy weekend with heatwave warnings in place in Queensland, NSW, WA and the Top End.

Temperatures are forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius in large parts of eastern Australia on Friday, while the mercury in Brisbane and Sydney is expected to rise to 30 degrees Celsius.

Parts of inland Queensland, from the Gulf Country to northern NSW, could expect severe heatwaves this weekend.

Areas in central Queensland and the Gulf States are expected to be hardest hit. The residents of Mount Isa are sweating through a sweltering 43 degrees Celsius.

Weatherzone meteorologist Quincy Tut told Daily Mail Australia that the extreme heatwave conditions would not ease until next week.

“Heatwave conditions currently extend pretty much across Queensland, from the northwest to the southeast,” he said.

Further south, Longreach is expected to reach 44 degrees Celsius on Saturday, while Grafton in the NSW Northern Rivers could reach temperatures of 31 degrees Celsius.

Severe heatwave warnings have also been issued in the Northern Territory this weekend Western Australia, from the Kimberley to Darwin.

Heatwave warnings are in force in Queensland, NSW, WA and the Top End

NSW will get a welcome reprieve from sweltering heatwaves this week.

“Severe heatwave intensity has subsided in northeastern New South Wales, but we will still see some low-intensity heatwaves,” Mr Tut said.

Storms are forecast in south-east Queensland and northern NSW this weekend and next week, with Byron Bay receiving up to 25mm of rain on Monday.

South-east state capitals are likely to be sweltering over a balmy weekend, with Sydney expected to be 30C to 5C warmer than this time last year.

The Harbor City is expected to reach 26 degrees Celsius this weekend amid forecasts of possible showers, while Brisbane could receive up to 5mm of rain on Saturday.

Possible storms are forecast for Brisbane in the coming days, with the mercury expected to reach 32 degrees Celsius on Saturday.

Melbourne is expected to hit just 21 degrees Celsius this weekend, while Adelaide is expected to remain cloudy with temperatures reaching 26 degrees Celsius.

A high of 27 degrees Celsius is forecast in Canberra over the weekend, in Perth 26 degrees after storms on Friday, in Hobart 19 degrees and sunny, and in Darwin a steady 35 degrees.

The Harbor City is expected to reach a high of 26 degrees Celsius this weekend amid forecasts of possible showers, while Brisbane could receive up to 5mm of rain on Saturday (pictured, Bondi Beach)

Brisbane

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Min. 22 Max. 32

Sunday: Shower or two. Minimum 23 Maximum 30

Monday: Shower or two. Minimum 22 Maximum 28

Sydney

Saturday: Possible showers. Min. 17 Max. 23

Sunday: Possible showers. Minimum 18 Maximum 26

Monday: Possible showers. Minimum 17 Maximum 23

Canberra

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Min 7 Max 25

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Min. 9 Max. 27

Monday: Partly cloudy. Min. 8 Max. 26

South-east state capitals will be sweltering over a sultry weekend, with Sydney (pictured) forecast to be 30°C to 5°C warmer than this time last year

Melbourne

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Minimum 10 Maximum 21

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Minimum 11 Maximum 21

Monday: Mostly sunny. Minimum 10 Maximum 23

Hobart

Saturday: Cloudy. Min. 9 Max. 18

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Min. 10 Max. 19

Monday: Partly cloudy. Min7 Max 21

Adelaide

Saturday: Cloudy. Min 9 Max23

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Minimum 11 Maximum 26

Monday: Possible shower Min 14 Max 28

Perth

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Minimum 13 Maximum 25

Sunday: Sunny. Min. 13 Max. 26

Monday: Sunny. Min. 13 Max. 27

Darwin

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Minimum 27 Maximum 35

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Minimum 26 Maximum 35

Monday: Mostly sunny. Minimum 26 Maximum 35