Weather: It’s still winter but millions of Aussies are about to be hit by a summer-like heatwave – how long will it last

An unusual winter heatwave is hitting Australia, bringing “well above average” temperatures this weekend, with parts of the outback seeing temperatures as high as 38 degrees.

The unusually warm weather could also bring storms to the southeast of the country in the coming days. In Melbourne, for example, a warning is in place for wind gusts of more than 100 km/h on Sunday.

The unusual heat has left a number of cities in Australia’s red centre hit by record-breaking winter heat.

Oodnadatta, Coober Pedy, Roxby Downs and Woomera all exceeded their previous winter warmth records by one to two degrees.

Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Jonathon How said this was because hot, dry weather was causing temperatures to rise across much of inland areas.

“We are seeing maximum temperatures well above the August average from northern New South Wales through to Queensland and the rest of the north of the country,” he said.

Mr How said the heat would continue into early next week despite winds and the potential for severe thunderstorms forecast for parts of northern Victoria and the New South Wales south coast.

Sydney is expected to see a maximum of 26 degrees Celsius this weekend after a week of spring-like weather. That’s about 5 degrees warmer than the same time last year, with a 70 percent chance of up to 3mm of rain.

Despite forecasts of up to 8mm of rain on Sunday, Melbourne is expected to smash last year’s temperatures, with highs expected to be between 23°C and 4°C higher than this time last year.

Further north, the city of Brisbane will see temperatures of up to 29 degrees Celsius, around 4 degrees higher than in 2023, with sunny weather and winds of between 15 and 20 km/h.

Temperatures of 30 degrees Celsius and above are forecast for parts of south-east Queensland in the first half of next week.

The highest temperatures are expected this weekend in Oodnadatta, north of Coober Pedy, where temperatures could reach 39 degrees this weekend.

Elsewhere, Adelaide will hit 23 degrees this weekend with 7mm of rain, Hobart will hit 19 degrees after 15mm of rain on Saturday, while Canberra could reach 20 degrees on Sunday.

Darwin is set for a tropical high of 35 degrees Celsius, while Perth is forecast for 18 degrees Celsius with a maximum of 25mm on Saturday. A cold zone is set to bring heavy rain to the southwest of Western Australia this week.

Weather experts are warning that winter will intensify later this week as a strong cold front from the Southern Ocean is expected to clash violently with the weekend’s warmer system.

The coming polar eruption will cause extreme weather conditions to sweep across southeastern Australia. The front is expected to reach southern Australia, Victoria and Tasmania on Tuesday, where it could produce intense, damaging winds along parts of the coast.

The front is expected to move northeast towards the New South Wales coast on Wednesday, potentially causing gale-force winds across South Australia.

The incoming cold front is expected to bring a chilly change, widespread showers and possible isolated hail to Tasmania. It should also bring much-needed snowfall to alpine regions.

Experts predict that a second cold front will move across the country during the course of next week, possibly bringing even stronger winds and additional snowfall in the highlands.

Sydney

Saturday: Average chance of showers in the morning, clearing in the afternoon. Northerly wind 15 to 25 km/h, shifting to northwest in the early afternoon and then shifting to north to northwest and light in the evening. Max 26.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, probably in the morning and afternoon. Light wind shifting from north to northwest 15 to 25 km/h in the middle of the day. Min. 16. Max. 24.

Monday: Sunny. Wind northwest 15 to 25 km/h shifting west 25 to 35 km/h in the morning and then light in the evening. Min 17. Max 24.

Melbourne

Saturday: Cloudy clearing to a mostly sunny afternoon. Wind northwest 20 to 30 km/h, shifting north 15 to 20 km/h in the evening. Max 21.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers, probably from late morning. Chance of thunderstorms, possibly heavy. Northerly wind 15 to 25 km/h, increasing to 25 to 35 km/h in the morning and then shifting from west to northwest in the evening. Min. 12. Max. 22.

Monday: Cloudy. High chance of showers around the Dandenongs, medium chance elsewhere. Winds west to northwest 25 to 35 km/h. Min 12. Max 18.

Brisbane

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Light wind. Max 26.

Sunday: Sunny. Chance of fog in the west in the early morning. Light wind that becomes northeasterly in the afternoon 15 to 20 km/h and weak in the evening. Min. 14. Max. 29.

Monday: Sunny. Light wind that becomes northerly in the afternoon 15 to 20 km/h and weak in the evening. Min. 16. Max. 32.

Perth

Saturday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, probably in the morning and afternoon. Chance of thunderstorms. Heavy rainfall possible in the hills. Wind from the northwest 25 to 40 km/h, tending to the west 30 to 45 km/h in the morning. Max. 18.

Sunday: Cloudy. Small chance of a shower, probably in the morning and early afternoon. Wind from the west 15 to 25 km/h, becoming weak in the evening. Min. 12. Max. 20.

Monday: Cloudy. Average chance of showers. Winds north to northwest 20 to 30 km/h increasing to 35 km/h before tending to west to northwest 20 to 30 km/h in the afternoon. Min 12. Max 22.

Adelaide

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Small chance of a shower. Wind northwest 15 to 25 km/h, becoming light in the afternoon and becoming northerly 15 to 20 km/h in the evening. Max. 23.

Sunday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, probably in the morning and afternoon. Chance of thunderstorms. Wind from the north to northeast 15 to 25 km/h, shifting to the west 35 to 50 km/h in the morning. Min. 15. Max. 20.

Monday: Partly cloudy. Average chance of showers in the morning and afternoon. Wind west 25 to 35 km/h shifting northwest 15 to 25 km/h in the afternoon. Min 12. Max 18

Hobart

Saturday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, probably in the morning. Light wind that becomes northerly in the morning at 15 to 25 km/h and becomes northwesterly in the afternoon at 15 to 20 km/h. Max. 12.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Chance of showers, probably in the afternoon and evening. Wind northwest 15 to 25 km/h, shifting to north 15 to 20 km/h in the evening. Min. 9. Max. 18.

Monday: Partly cloudy. Average chance of showers, probably in the morning. Wind from the west to northwest 20 to 30 km/h. Min. 10. Max. 16

Canberra

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Small chance of a shower. Wind from the northwest 20 to 30 km/h, light in the evening. Max. 21.

Sunday: Cloudy. Very high chance of showers, probably in the afternoon and evening. Chance of thunderstorms. Light wind that will become northwesterly in the middle of the day, 20 to 30 km/h. Min. 8. Max. 21.

Monday: Partly cloudy. Small chance of a shower, probably in the morning. Wind northwest 20 to 25 km/h, tending to west 20 to 30 km/h in the morning and then light in the evening. Min. 6. Max. 16.

Darwin

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Small chance of a shower, probably in the afternoon and evening. Wind northeast to southeast 15 to 25 km/h, tending to northwest to northeast in the late afternoon and then light in the evening. Max. 25.

Sunday: Sunny. Light wind that becomes east to northeast 15 to 25 km/h during the day and tends to northwest to northeast in the afternoon. Min. 24. Max. 35.

Monday: Sunny. Light wind shifting to northeast to southeast 15 to 25 km/h during the day and then light in the evening. Min 23. Max 35.