An extreme heatwave sweeping over Australia’s south-east will see temperatures reach a sweltering 45C in the coming days.
The hot and humid conditions which hit parts of the country on Sunday are set to intensify, with New South Wales, South Australia and Queensland to be hit the hardest.
Parts of north-west NSW, including Broken Hill and Ivanhoe, sweltered through 45C temperatures on Sunday and can expect more of the same on Monday and Tuesday.
After a relatively mild 27C on Sunday, Sydney will reach 30C on Monday before rising to around 35C by the middle of the week.
An extreme heatwave sweeping across Australia’s south-east will see temperatures reach a sweltering 46C in the coming days
The hot and humid conditions which hit parts of the country on Sunday are set to intensify
‘Wherever you’re going to be on Wednesday, it’s going to be warm and humid,’ Weatherzone senior meteorologist Jacob Cronje told Nine News.
‘Nights are not really going to drop below the 20s and the heatwave on Wednesday is likely to start the evening before.
‘It looks like it’s going to be the hottest day leading into Christmas. There’s also a chance we could see more heat like this between Christmas and New Year.’
Adelaide will be the hottest capital city on Monday, with temperatures expected to hit 38C, while Canberra should reach the mid-30s before nudging 40C on Tuesday.
A wave is pictured crashing over children at a Coogee rock pool in Sydney on Thursday. The hot spell is set to continue over the coming days
These beachgoers are pictured soaking up the sun at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Thursday. Conditions are expected to get even warmer in the coming days
After a relatively mild 27C on Sunday, Sydney will reach 30C on Monday before rising to around 35C by the middle of the week. The surfer is pictured at Bondi on Thursday
The South Australian towns of Oodnadatta and Moomba are forecast to swelter through 45C on Monday and Tuesday, as are Queensland’s Thargomindah and Birdsville.
Brisbane is expected to see sunny and warm conditions for the next week with temperatures in the low 30s.
Melbourne is forecast to hit 33C on Monday before a scorching 36C on Tuesday, but a cool change should see temperatures drop to the mid-20s by the middle of the week.
Darwin will hit maximums in the mid-30s throughout the week, while Perth will be unseasonably cool until the city sees its own heatwave hit on Thursday.
Hobart will be hot and windy on Tuesday at 31C, before dropping to the low-to-mid 20s for the remainder of the week.
Director of Environmental Health Ben Scalley recommends avoiding hot or alcoholic drinks and minimising physical activity to avoid the effects of overheating during the heatwave.
Bondi Beach in Sydney filled up with bathers seeking respite from the scorching heat towards the end of last week
‘Wherever you’re going to be on Wednesday, it’s going to be warm and humid,’ Weatherzone senior meteorologist Jacob Cronje said
Beachgoers at Bondi made the most of the sweltering summer weather on Thursday afternoon
He said windows should be kept closed until the evening, while light clothing should be worn and sunscreen regularly applied.
‘People can be unprepared for the first heat spike of summer, so we are reminding them to take safety measures against the effects of overheating and sun exposure,’ Mr Scalley said in a statement.
‘It’s important people keep up their water intake, stay cool and avoid strenuous physical activity in the heat of the day.
‘Heat places a lot of strain on the body and can interfere with blood circulation and cause dehydration, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.’
Swimmers are pictured cooling off at the ocean pool at Bronte Beach on Saturday morning
Thousands flocked to Coogee Beach on Friday afternoon to get the summer weekend started
A couple take a selfie on a rock at Coogee as they soak up the sun during the weekend heat