‘Burst of heat’: Millions to swelter in heatwave as temperatures tip past 40C
Millions are bracing for a sweltering week as hot weather grips much of the country and the mercury soars past 40C in many major cities.
A warm air mass is currently moving over Western Australia, bringing scorching heat from Perth to parts of Victoria and NSW.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe heatwave warning for the Pilbara, Gascoyne, Goldfields, Eucla, Northern Interior, Southern Interior and Central Wheatbelt regions as temperatures reach the mid-40s.
The northwestern part of the state will be hit over the weekend and intensify early next week.
“Severe heat wave conditions are occurring across much of the state over the weekend and continuing into next week,” the bureau’s website reads.
The heat will not focus its attention solely on Western Australia, with hot weather also expected to affect South Australia, Victoria and NSW from Tuesday.
Senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said a heat “burst” would occur in Western Australia, with temperatures rising 5 to 10 degrees above average.
“That heat will really start to pick up in Western Australia on Monday and then move into South Australia on Tuesday, then spread into south-east Australia as well,” he said.
Conditions are expected to be scorching on Tuesday, rising 8 to 12 degrees above the season average.
From Wednesday to Friday, severe and extreme heatwave conditions will persist in South Australia and spread to parts of Victoria, NSW and Tasmania.
“(The heat wave) is our first major summer heat blast in south-east Australia,” Mr Narramore told NewsWire.
Temperatures will peak in Western Australia on Monday and Tuesday before moving into South Australia.
Maximum temperatures will increase in South Australia, NSW, Victoria and Tasmania from Wednesday to Friday.
“Melbourne could flirt with 40C on Wednesday and possibly Friday,” Mr Narramore said.
Melbourne residents may feel a little refreshed for a day on Thursday as cold air moves across the Gulf and a high pressure system moves in from the Tasman Sea.
Those living 20km inland and south of Sydney in South Australia and Victoria can expect “two to three day temperatures in the 40s” and nighttime temperatures in the mid-20s.
“So (a) big heat explosion is on its way,” he said.
