Qld weather: December temperature records to be smashed as heatwave grips state

Queensland is officially sweltering with temperatures soaring over 46C today amid warnings more extreme heat is on the way.

Queensland is officially sweltering with temperatures hitting 46C amid warnings the state’s extreme heatwave is here to stay.

The town of Thargominda, just west of Cunnamulla in the Bulloo Shire, hit 46.6C at 2.45pm, the hottest temperature recorded in Queensland today.

It was closely followed by Windorah at 45.4C.

Meanwhile, Birdsville’s run of consecutive days over 46C appears over with the mercury hitting 45.4C at 1.30pm. Birdsville’s highest recorded temperature was 49.5C in December 1972.

TODAY’S TEMPERATURES

Brisbane: 32.5C

Emerald: 38.1C

Biloela: 38.3C

Blackwater airport: 38.7C

Rolleston Airport: 39C

Georgetown Airport: 39.4C

Palmerville: 39.2C

Blackall: 42.2C

Longreach: 42.9C

Cloncurry: 43C

Winton: 43.9C

Trepell: 44C

St George: 44.4C

Julia Creek: 44.6C

Ballera: 45.2C

Birdsville: 45.4C

Windorah: 45.9C

Thargomindah: 46.6C

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Felim Hanniffy said a trough was expected to move into the southwest today before shifting across the southern interior over the next few days.

“There’s a bit of change moving in today so there’s a gusty southerly coming in there later this afternoon and evening and temps will cool off slightly to the low 40s or high 30s for tomorrow,” he said.

“The heat ahead of that then transfers east of the Maranoa and Darling Downs.”

A Bureau of Meteorology heat map showing the forecast temperatures for Tuesday.

EARLIER: Heat records will be broken in Queensland this week as a severe heatwave rocks southern parts of the state.

Temperatures are expected to hit the mid-40s across much of Queensland’s southern inland regions on Tuesday and Wednesday, with Birdsville expected to reach 47C and towns such as Goondiwindi and Cunnamulla heading for a top of 46C.

South east towns like Gatton and Stanthorpe will swelter through 35+ degree days.

The border town of Goondiwindi hit 43C Monday and is tipped to reach as high as 44C on Tuesday and 46C on Wednesday – if it does it will break its record for the hottest three consecutive days.

Sky News meteorologist Rob Sharpe said the heatwave would be broken by a cool change expected to hit the region on Thursday.

“The heat continues for southern Queensland, in fact it intensifies, with records a chance to break in the far southern inland around Roma, the southern ranges and also in northern NSW,” he said.

“For Queenslanders it’s a bit of a long haul. That heat is lingering with a severe heatwave for far northern NSW and southern Queensland.”

Mr Sharpe said for the Darling Downs, Granite Belt and northwest slopes and plains it was an extreme heatwave that would continue into Wednesday.

“That heat does not go far, it goes into the west, so by Sunday that heat returns again for southeastern Queensland,” Mr Sharpe said.

It comes after more than 20 heat records were broken across northern parts of South Australia and Victoria, and NSW, including the NSW state record.

The ongoing heatwave has also prompted calls from Queensland Ambulance Services and RACQ The, with QAS Director Lachlan Parker yesterday revealing that Queenslanders “can become too complacent” when it comes to our hotter seasons.

“Even in our most healthy members of the public, heat related illnesses can come on quick” Parker said yesterday.

“We can’t become complacent with sweating it out, everyone needs to reset their internal temperatures every night, or you could do extreme damage to your body”.

RACQ spokeswoman Lucinda Ross said roadside crews were called out to 10 situations of locked animals and kids in cars over the past weekend alone.

“The majority of kids our RACQ Roadside Assistance patrols rescue from locked cars ended up there by accident when they were given keys to play with as a toy,” she said.

“It can take just a few seconds for your child to lock you out and the temperature to start to rise.”

With temperatures in Kingaroy expected to reach 39C on Wednesday, Anna Campbell said her son Archie and his cousin Rylan loved to cool off under the sprinkler.

“Every day that it’s hot they’re home from school and they’re out there,” she said.

“We do have the dam or we just have sprinklers, I have actually just gone and bought a water jumping park from Aldi for the kids.”

Ms Campbell said she was “praying for rain” to help their crops grow, but the weather had been dry.

“There’s nothing we can really do with the farm too much to prepare for the heat except make sure that the cattle and animals have got their shade and water available and we just check on them during the day and make sure they’re coping.”