Extreme heat warnings are in effect for several states as a sweltering heat wave brings one of the hottest Decembers in years.
Temperatures in the high 40s are expected in parts of Victoria and NSW, while the Northern Territory will experience severe to extreme heatwaves for much of the next three days.
Hot, dry and gusty northwesterly winds are expected to bring major bushfires to parts of NSW and extreme bushfires to most of Victoria.
In Sydney, Penrith and Richmond are forecast to reach 39, while Camden is expected to reach 37. Temperatures in the port city are expected to remain high all week.
An extreme fire danger has been declared in Victoria’s central and western districts, while Melbourne is set to experience its hottest day since January 2023 and the hottest December day since 2019, with a forecast of 41 degrees Celsius.
The heat wave marks the early start of summer and could break some December records in parts of the country.
The mercury is expected to reach 46 degrees Celsius in Mildura in north-west Victoria, 45 degrees Celsius in Swan Hill and 44 degrees Celsius in Horsham.
Parts of inland NSW could see even more extreme heat than Victoria.
A high of 47 degrees Celsius is expected in Wilcannia, in central northwest NSW, and 46.5 degrees Celsius in Ivanhoe, about 180 kilometers further south.
Australia is bracing for a brutal heatwave, with temperatures in some regions reaching nearly 50 degrees Celsius
Melbourne is expected to reach a scorching 41 degrees Celsius today – the hottest December day since 2019
A cold front is expected to reach western Victoria around 3pm on Monday, bringing relief to Melbourne and central parts of Victoria around 9pm.
“There will still be a risk of storms in the east and showers in the southwest on Tuesday,” Trainor said.
“But essentially all that heat disappears on Tuesday.”
The heat wave has led to a warning of Weather zone urging people to take precautions and prevent heat-related deaths this year.
“Heatwaves cause more deaths in Australia than any other natural disaster,” a spokesperson said.
Australians are expected to stay cool by hitting the beaches as temperatures rise
High fire danger warnings issued for southeastern states as hot, dry and windy conditions increase
‘You can mitigate the effects of a heat wave by staying in a cool building during the hottest part of the day, avoiding exercise during the day, drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, taking cool showers or baths, and direct exposure to the sun to avoid. possible.’
Victoria’s Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas also urged Victorians to monitor those most at risk and stay indoors as much as possible.
Melbourne
Monday: Mostly sunny in the morning, cloud increasing from the west in the afternoon. Small chance of showers in the late evening. From the beginning of the afternoon there is a chance of a thunderstorm with little or no rain. Possible severe thunderstorms with damaging winds. Wind northerly up to 50 km/h, turning cooler south to southwest up to 25 km/h in the late evening. Maximum 41.
Tuesday: High chance of showers. Chance of a thunderstorm in the morning. Mostly sunny afternoon. Wind south to southwest at 25 km/h, becoming light before sunrise, then becoming southwesterly to 35 km/h early this morning. Minimum 17 Maximum 24.
Wednesday: Small chance of showers in the morning. Mostly sunny afternoon. Wind southwest at 20 km/h, turning south to 30 km/h in the morning. Minimum 14 Maximum 21.
Thursday: Sunny. Wind south to southeast 15 to 20 km/h, becoming light in the morning, then becoming south to southeast to 25 km/h in the afternoon. Min. 12 Max. 27.
Sydney
Monday: Partly cloudy morning, sunny afternoon. Slight chance of showers this morning. Light winds coming from a northeasterly direction during the day, 20 to 30 km/hour. Maximum 29.
Tuesday: Sunny day. There is some chance of showers in the late afternoon and evening. There is a chance of a thunderstorm in the west in the late afternoon and evening. Wind north to northeast to 25 km/h, turning south to southeast to 35 km/h in the evening. Minimum 20 Maximum 32.
Wednesday: Cloudy. Chance of showers in the morning. Wind southerly 25 to 40 km/h. Minimum 18 Maximum 23.
Thursday: Partly cloudy. Small chance of showers. Wind south to southeast 15 to 25 km/hour, light in the evening. Minimum 18 Maximum 23.
Brisbane
Monday: Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers. The chance of thunder. Wind southeast up to 35 km/h. Maximum 28.
Tuesday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, probably in the morning and afternoon. The chance of thunder. Winds will be southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h, trending easterly in the morning and becoming light in the early afternoon. Minimum 23 Maximum 28.
Wednesday: Cloudy. High chance of showers, probably in the afternoon and evening. The chance of thunder. The wind will turn weak to east to southeast up to 20 km/h in the afternoon and tend to south to southeast in the evening. Min. 23 Max. 29
Thursday: Cloudy. Small chance of showers, probably in the morning. Wind southerly 15 to 25 km/h, trending southeast 20 to 30 km/h in the morning then light in the evening. Minimum 20 Maximum 26.
Perth
Monday: Clearing of the clouds. Wind southwest 20 to 30 km/h, trending south 15 to 25 km/h in the evening, then becoming light late in the evening. Minimum 16 Maximum 25.
Tuesday: Sunny. Wind southeasterly at 20 km/h, trending easterly to 40 km/h before sunrise and turning southerly to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the afternoon. Minimum 17 Maximum 35.
Wednesday: Sunny. Wind east to northeast 15 to 20 km/h, turning to southwest 25 to 35 km/h in the morning then trending to southwest 15 to 25 km/h in the evening. Minimum 20 Maximum 32.
Thursday: Sunny. Wind southerly at 25 km/h, trending south to southwest at 35 km/h during the day, then southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h in the evening. Minimum 16 Maximum 30.
Adelaide
Monday: Mostly sunny morning. Small chance of showers, probably tonight. There is a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. Wind northwest to northeast to 35 km/h, trending northwest to southwest to 40 km/h in the middle of the day, then southwest to 35 km/h in the late afternoon. Maximum 38.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Wind southwest 25 to 35 km/h, becoming southerly in the late afternoon and decreasing to 15 to 25 km/h in the evening. Minimum 16 Maximum 26.
Wednesday: Sunny. Wind southeast 20 to 30 km/h. Min. 13 Max. 29.
Thursday: Sunny. Wind east to southeast 15 to 25 km/h, becoming south to southwest during the day, then trending southeast to 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Min. 16 Max. 33.
Hobart
Monday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, probably tonight. The chance of thunder. Wind from the north 20 to 30 km/h, light in the late evening. Maximum 33.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, probably in the early morning. Wind southwest 15 to 20 km/h, becoming light before sunrise, then becoming west 25 to 35 km/h in the morning. Minimum 16 Maximum 21.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Wind west to southwest 15 to 25 km/h, turning south to southeast 20 to 30 km/h in the afternoon. Minimum 12 Maximum 20.
Thursday: Partly cloudy. During the day the wind will be weak from the southeast, 15 to 25 km/h. Minimum 10 Maximum 21.
Darwin
Monday: Partly cloudy. There is a chance of showers, probably this afternoon and evening. There is a chance of a thunderstorm from late in the morning. Wind west up to 25 km/h, light in the evening. Maximum 35.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Moderate chance of showers, likely in the late afternoon and evening. The chance of thunder. Wind west to southwest up to 25 km/h, trending west to northwest up to 20 km/h in the afternoon and evening. Minimum 27 Maximum 35.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers. The chance of thunder. Wind west 15 to 25 km/h, light in the evening. Minimum 27 Maximum 35.
Thursday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, probably in the morning. The chance of thunder. Light winds, westerly 15 to 20 km/h during the day, then light in the evening. Min. 25 Max. 33.
Canberra
Monday: Sunny. Light winds, initially northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon, then light in the evening. Maximum 37.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny morning. Small chance of showers in the afternoon and evening. Chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening. The wind will be light to 30 km/h in the morning and turn northwest to 30 km/h in the late evening. Min. 19 Max. 35.
Wednesday: Small chance of showers in the morning. Mostly sunny day. Wind east to southeast, increasing slightly during the day to 30 km/h. Min. 13 Max. 28
Thursday: Sunny. Winds will be southeasterly up to 20 km/h, becoming light during the day and becoming easterly up to 25 km/h in the afternoon. Min. 9 Max. 28.