Qld weather: Scorcher weekend as heatwave, storms hit

The mercury is set to hit 40C in at least one Queensland location this weekend, with temps to sit in the high 30s for many other spots. And then the storms will roll in. FULL FORECAST

Queensland is in for a scorcher weekend with temperatures forecast to reach up to 40C in some locations and the potential for severe storms.

Meteorologists are forecasting above-average temperatures across the state, as a trough system moves up from southern Australia early on Friday.

Doomadgee, in the state’s northwest, is expected to climb to a blistering 40C tomorrow, with temps staying that way across the weekend before hitting 41C in the middle of next week.

Queensland is in for a scorcher from Friday, with the high temps continuing into next week. Picture: Weather Watch

In Mount Isa it will be 36C tomorrow, hovering there across the weekend and into next week, while further east Rockhampton will hit 33C on Friday and 35C on Monday.

Heading south, Gayndah, in the North Burnett, is expected to hit 35C tomorrow, before topping 37C on Monday, while Gympie will get to 33C on Friday and 35C on Monday.

The temperature is also on the rise across South East Queensland, with Ipswich expected to hit 34C Friday, 31C Saturday, 34C Sunday and 35C on Monday.

Brisbane will reach 32C, dropping to 28C on Saturday, 31C on Sunday and 33C on Monday.

Temperatures on the Gold Coast hovering in the high 20s, while it’s a similar story on the Sunshine Coast, with the mercury in the high 20s before topping out at 31C on Monday.

THUNDERSTORMS TO ROLL IN ON FRIDAY

Weather bureau community information officer Daniel Hayes said there would be a 20 per cent chance of thunderstorms in South East Queensland on Friday as the system moves in.

“The frontal system that’s moving through NSW and Victoria at the moment is going to move eastwards and pull that trough from west Queensland through to the southeast,” Mr Hayes said.

The trough and front is currently generating strong winds, showers and light storms in southern NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and southeast SA.

Mr Hayes said the system will linger over the South East until Saturday.

“That means we’ll have the chance of some showers, thunderstorm activity in the afternoon starting from tomorrow (Friday),” he said.

“The probability of those showers and storms is sitting around 20 per cent, 30 per cent for the Gold Coast area.”

Meanwhile a hellish summer is looming, with the bureau’s long-term forecast revealing there could be a higher risk of heatwaves, bushfires and storms over the next seven months.