Above-average temperatures on the rise in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane

Hotter than average weather is set to intensify in most of Australia over the weekend, with temperatures climbing by as much as 6C.

Millions of Australians are being warned to brace for an extra warm weekend with temperatures set to soar across the country over the coming days.

The mercury is set to skyrocket by as much as 6C over the weekend in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Adelaide, off the back of an above-average week.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts Sydney, which reached 23C on Thursday, will climb to a maximum temperature of 30C over the weekend.

The mercury is expected to continue rising into next week, with the Harbour City being warned to brace for temperatures as high as 33C on Wednesday.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts Sydney will reach a maximum temperature of 30C over the weekend. Picture: NCA NewsWire /Gaye Gerard

The sudden heat sweeping across the city contrasts temperatures last year that in September reached a top of 24C, with an average of 20.6C for the month.

Further north, the mercury in Brisbane is set to soar from 24C on Thursday to as high as 29C next week, with temperatures as high as 26C forecast for the coming weekend.

Melbourne is forecast to reach 26C over the weekend before plummeting to 18C on Tuesday, while Canberra will reach 27C on the same day.

Above average temps for southern #Aus with Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney in the mid to high 20s. Fire Weather Warnings current for parts of #WA and the #NT. Latest: https://t.co/4W35o8i7wJpic.twitter.com/yskPigQXef

— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) September 13, 2023

Adelaide is forecast to reach 29C over the weekend, with warnings for strong winds in place for much of the state’s south on Thursday afternoon.

Crucially, all five major cities are facing a chance of rain of only 10 per cent or lower over the coming weekend and into next week, with showers in Hobart.

Across the country's north and west, Darwin will reach 33C and Perth just 20C off the back of a wild few days of wind across the southwest of the state.

The forecast comes as large swathes of the country grapple with the effects of warmer weather.

The bureau remains hesitant to declare an El Nino weather event.

HA mixed bag of temperatures in Western Australia. Picture: Weatherzone

In Sydney, much of the city was smothered by heavy smoke as hazard reduction burns got under way in the Sutherland Shire area, south of the city.

In the north, the Darwin, Adelaide River, and Barkly North areas are being warned to brace for fire conditions, as warm, dry, and gusty winds developed.

“Winds combined with high grass fuel loads will result in elevated fire dangers in the Darwin and Barkly fire weather districts on Thursday,” the bureau said.

Residents in Queensland’s Bundaberg region were allowed to return to their homes on Wednesday after a fast-moving bushfire in the Coonarr area was downgraded.

Originally published as Above-average temperatures on the rise in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane