Key Points
- Parts of Australia are expected to experience warmer than average weather this weekend.
- Residents in NSW's east coast, the NT, South Australia and inland Queensland are affected.
- While "unusual", it won't be record-breaking heat, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
Residents in large parts of the country are being advised to prepare for an expected heatwave this weekend.
A slow-moving high pressure system sitting over eastern Australia will move into the Tasman Sea by the weekend.
That’s going to drag warm, hot air across northern and central Australia down into different parts of the country, Dean Narramore, senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, told SBS News.
Temperatures will start climbing from Wednesday and Thursday, and bring about almost 30C heat by the weekend and into early next week (18 September).
NSW’s east coast residents in particular will likely experience around 30C heat, while residents of inland NSW, South Australia and southern Queensland are likely to experience heat in the mid-30C range.
Narramore said large parts of the country will likely see maximum temperatures anywhere from six to 12 degrees above average for September, with even minimum temperatures around four to eight degrees above average.
He said the temperatures were “on the unusual side” for the month.
“To have a sustained period of temperatures of six to 12 degrees above average in September is definitely getting a little on the unusual side. Normally we'd have one or two days rather than almost a high week," Narramore said.
A map of maximum temperatures forecast for parts of the country on Sunday, 17 September. Credit: Bureau of Meteorology
But it's not going to be record-breaking heat, he added.
"But definitely, it's going to be a prolonged period of well-above-average temperatures and something we're probably gonna see more common as we go into the following weeks and months right around the country," Narramore said.
What temperatures will the 'unusual' spring heatwave bring?
NSW
The heat will start spreading from inland NSW to the coast from Thursday 14 September.
For Sydney and the Central Coast, that means around 31C on Friday, and 33C on Saturday and Sunday.
Those in Gloucester and other parts of the NSW Mid-Coast will swelter under 34C.
Batemans Bay, Ulladulla and Huskisson will hit 30C on Sunday.
South Australia
Temperatures will spike on Wednesday and Thursday (13 and 14 September) for large parts of the state, with Adelaide set to experience 28C, Port Lincoln at 30C, and Ceduna at 33C on Thursday.
For Adelaide and Port Lincoln, temperatures will then drop this weekend down to around 22-25C. For the rest of the state, it’s over 30C forecast from Thursday to Sunday.
Queensland
Inland Queensland will feel the heat with 30-35C predicted for most of the inner regions of the state. Those on the coast won’t be affected by too much heat, with temperatures to stay within 25-28C for residents in Surfers Paradise, Brisbane and right up to Mackay.
Northern Territory
The wave of heat will spread from Tuesday across the territory, bringing with it 30-35C heat for large parts of the territory to Sunday.
Victoria
Most of the state won’t be affected by the heat this weekend, with temperatures set to stay within 20-25C.
Western Australia
Residents in southern parts of the state won’t have to worry about heat, with those in Perth, Margaret River and Albany to see a bit of rain from Wednesday to Saturday.
Tasmania and the ACT
Residents in Tasmania and the capital will escape the higher temperatures this weekend.
