Mercury will reach - and top - 40 degrees in inland centres

Local weatherman explains what’s behind the heatwave, which will see the mercury top 40 degrees in one regional centre.

Central Queensland is set to sizzle this week, with temperatures in some centres to climb to almost six degrees above average.

Tuesday will be the hottest day, with 41 degrees forecast for Emerald, 40 degrees for Blackwater and 38 degrees for Rockhampton.

Local weatherman Mike Griffin said Tropical Cyclone Seth, which is sitting off the Queensland coast on Sunday, was the main driver behind the heatwave.

“That’s helping cause this air to become warmer and start to heat up,” he said.

“The average temperature for this time of year is 32 in Rockhampton; it’s going to be a good six degrees warmer than average so it’s significantly hotter.

Temperatures across Central Queensland will reach almost six degrees above average this week.

“Tropical Cyclone Seth formed at 1pm Friday about 400km due east of Innisfail.

“It’s tracked parallel to the coast well offshore and this morning it’s approximately 700km due east of the Capricorn Coast.

“It’s a long way out to sea but it’s having a major effect on the weather inland, and it’s warming up temperatures right across Queensland.”

Mr Griffin said there was a chance of late thundery showers later in the week, though they would be very isolated.

“The monsoon in the north has gone quiet at the moment but it may trigger something near Fiji next weekend,” he said.

Here are the temperatures for Central Queensland centres

Rockhampton

Monday 23-37

Tuesday 24-38

Wednesday 24-37

Thursday 25-36

Friday 24-34

Emerald

Monday 24-39

Tuesday 24-41

Wednesday 25-40

Thursday 26-40

Friday 25-39

Blackwater

Monday 23-39

Tuesday 24-40

Wednesday 25-39

Thursday 25-39

Friday 24-39

Gladstone

Monday 24-34

Tuesday 24-33

Wednesday 24-32

Thursday 25-32

Friday 24-31

Yeppoon

Monday 23-33

Tuesday 25-33

Wednesday 25-32

Thursday 26-32

Friday 24-31