Qld weather: Heatwave starts to bite as towns top 40C

Toowoomba to Dalby, Charleville, St George and further west – these are the places in Queensland where temperature records are expected to be scorched in coming days.

Temperature records are expected to be broken in the coming days as Queensland is scorched by an extreme heatwave.

Birdsville recorded a minimum overnight temperature of 33.2C, its November overnight temperature record.

The Bureau of Meteorology says it’s possible Dalby might beat its November record of 41.1C, as it is currently forecast to reach 41C on Monday.

The November record for Miles is 42.8C, and is forecast to reach 42C, St George has a record of 44.2 and is forecast to reach a maximum forecast of 44C.

Cunnamulla is predicted to beat it’s November temperature record of 44C, as it is forecast to reach a scorching 44.6C on Monday.

RECORDS TO WATCH IN COMING DAYS

Applethorpe needs >35.4C

Stanthorpe needs >37.5C

Toowoomba needs >38.1C to break old Toowoomba site (or >37.5C to break record for current site with 25 years of record) – not forecast to break old site record.

Oakey and Warwick need >39.8C

Dalby needs >41.1C to break old Dalby PO site (or 40.5C to break current site with 29 years of record) – IS forecast to break old site record

Miles needs >42.8C to break old Miles PO site (or >40.8C to break current site with 24 years of record) – not forecast to break old site record.

Mitchell needs >42.7C

Texas needs >43.2C

St George needs >44.2C to break old St George PO site (or >44.0C to break current site with 24 years of record) – IS forecast to break old site record

Cunnamulla needs >44.0C

Bollon needs >44.4C

An extreme heatwave is hitting parts of southern Queensland over the next few days. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology

Severe fire danger is expected in the state’s southwest districts on Tuesday, due to very hot and windy conditions, shifting to the southeast interior on Wednesday.

Further heatwave records are expected to break as inland temperatures are forecast to reach the mid-40s over the state’s southern interior.

Meteorologist Peter Markworth said extreme heatwave conditions are being met across the southern Darling Downs today.

“A few locations in the southwest look to have set November minimum temperature records this morning, with several locations remaining above 30 degrees overnight,” he said.

A strong wind warning has been issued for the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and Gold Coast waters later today and into Monday morning.

There will likely be wet weather in the week, with BOM reporting shower and thunderstorm activity returning to central and southeastern parts of Queensland from mid to late next week.

FORECAST TEMPERATURES

Stanthorpe – 38C on Wednesday

Toowoomba – 38C on Wednesday

Oakey – 42C on Wednesday

Warwick – 41C on Wednesday

Dalby – 43C on Wednesday

Miles – 43C on Wednesday

Texas – 39C on Wednesday

St George – 44C on Monday, Tuesday; 43C on Wednesday

Cunnamulla – 45C on Monday, Tuesday; 40C on Wednesday

Bollon – 45C on Monday, Tuesday; 41C on Wednesday

As of noon Sunday, Birdsville was sitting at a searing 43.7C and was headed for a maximum temp of 46C.

It was 42.4C at Ballera, 41.8C in Thargomindah and 39.7C in Windorah.

In southeast Queensland at noon, it was 31.8C at Archerfield, 34.8C at Gatton, 34.5C at Amberley and 30.5C in Brisbane.

Towns across Queensland’s south and southwest, such as Cunnamulla, Goondiwindi and St George, are bracing for temperatures in the mid-to-low 40s today and tomorrow, 8 to 9 degrees above average.

Bright orange colours on the infrared #satellite image show just how hot it was across #Australia on Saturday afternoon 🌡️

47.5°C Marree, SA
47.4°C Roxby Downs, SA
46.4°C Birdsville, Qld
46.2°C Fowlers Gap, NSW
45.7°C Mildura, Vic
45.5°C Hay, NSW
43.0°C Sydney Airport, NSW pic.twitter.com/D3Boledt3X

— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) November 28, 2020

“These locations may break maximum temperature records over the next few days,” BOM meteorologist Pieter Claassen said.

Mr Claassen said persistent northerly winds were reinforcing the heatwave conditions across Queensland.

“Everything is just getting hotter and hotter,” he said.

The soaring temps will stretch from Birdsville in western Queensland through to Brisbane’s doorstep, with tops of 39C and 38C in Gatton and Ipswich respectively today.

Ipswich was heading for a top of 42C on Wednesday, Gatton 44C.

Mr Claassen said sea breezes would moderate temperatures in Brisbane, but humidity would still make Brisbane’s forecast tops of 32C on Sunday and 31C on Monday and Tuesday uncomfortable.

Earlier: First signs of heatwave sear state

Western Queensland towns were yesterday the first to feel the brunt of a heatwave set to scorch large areas of the state.

The ongoing hot weather warnings come as some towns have already gotten dangerously close to breaking the state’s temperature record of 49.5C.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Peter Markworth confirmed yesterday that a large number of western Queensland towns had already cracked the 40C mark, with Birdsville being seared the worst, topping 45.9C yesterday afternoon.

“The record for hottest day in Queensland is held by Birdsville at 49.5C, we’ll have to see what the next couple days have in store for us,” he said.

Included in the hottest destinations in Queensland yesterday were Ballera (44.5C), Bedourie (44C) Thargomindah (43.1C) and Windorah (41C), all in stark contrast to the southeast, with Brisbane, Gold and Sunshine coasts averaging a maximum of 29C.

While it may seem like the worst has already hit the state, Mr Markworth said we’ll still have to suffer through the next few days before the heat reaches its peak on this coming Wednesday.

“We really are expecting to see those temps at their highest midweek, especially through that central and southeast region.”

With the unfortunate side effects of the hotter weather already being seen in the past couple of days, Queensland Ambulance Service clinical director Tony Hucker has reminded Queenslanders to be prepared and look out for those most susceptible to heat.