Winter heatwave tipped to break records in Queensland

A heatwave has the potential to smash winter temperature records after the country recorded temperatures between 5 and 16C above average this month.

A winter heatwave could tip Queensland to break several temperature records, with a chance the southwest could reach a high of 40C.

Brisbane is tipped to experience sunny skies and a high of 35C across the weekend after the Bureau of Meteorology reported maximum temperatures across the country — including Queensland — have soared between 5 and 16C above the August average.

Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Pieter Claassen said Friday and Saturday temperatures could break records, particularly south of Townsville to the southeast.

Brisbane may also “get close really to breaking their own August records”.

Birdsville is set to hit a high of 40C, which has the potential to break the August temperature record, which was last week set at 38.4C.

Ipswich, Boulia, Beerburrum, Dalby, Mt Isa and Longreach could also hit record highs, with the hot weather slated to continue into next week.

A winter heatwave could tip Queensland to break several temperature records. Picture: meteologix.com/au.

The heatwave comes as vulnerable Victorians who rely on electrical life support equipment were warned by electricity provider Powercor to have backup plans in place as more destructive winds are set to hit the country over the weekend.

The electricity group, which operates through western Victoria, urged its vulnerable customers to be “ready” with plans on place in case of blackouts.

“Know what you would do if the power does go out – charge your phones, laptops and other devices, know how to open your garage door manually, and know where to turn for information,” Powercor’s head of network control Peter Galey urged on Friday.

“Make sure you are ready to enact your backup plan if you rely on life support equipment or need electrical items to care for others and have water available if your supply relies on power.”

Two main power lines in Victoria’s Apollo Bay were extensively damaged on Wednesday, with power restored to customers on Thursday.

Generators have now been sent into the town as a precaution as well as two field crew members

Victoria has been hit with destructive winds. PICTURE: NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Jonathan How said Australia’s east coast is in for a “windy weekend” as three powerful cold fronts move in.

Destructive winds will mean high fire danger warnings will remain in place over the weekend across the Greater Sydney Region and Illawarra/Shoalhaven in NSW.

Winds will intensify for much of southeast South Australia, western Victoria and western Tasmania heading into Friday night.

“Then into Saturday, we see those strong to damaging winds extending for the rest of Tasmania, Victoria and southeast NSW, with a second cold front coming through that will reinvigorate those winds across southern areas, with plenty of showers and rain behind that,” Mr How said.

The southeast is in for a “windy weekend” as three powerful cold fronts move in. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology.

Rain, thunderstorms and hail are also predicted across the southeast of the country. Picture: Bureau of Meteorology.

However the strongest cold front is expected to hit on Sunday.

“That will bring widespread damaging to destructive winds across multiple states, as well as heavy bursts of rainfall, thunderstorms, hail and snow down to low levels,” Mr How said.

“We do have damaging wind warnings covering four states and lots of these areas have already seen damaging winds right through the week. This could cause further damage to trees and property, so I’m reminding people to keep an eye on the latest warnings heading into this weekend.”

A coastal hazard warning has been issued for the southwest coast of Victoria down to Wilsons Promontory as waves could reach up to nine metres offshore.

“Abnormally high tide for parts of Gippsland, we start to see those waves really picking up with this cold front coming through on Friday night — waves increasing up to five to six to seven meters offshore,” Mr How said.

“But then with that stronger cold front coming through on Sunday, that’s when we start to see the waves increasing up to nine meters offshore of Southwest Victoria and also western parts of Tasmania, so these hazardous coastal conditions are likely to continue all the way into Monday.”

Originally published as Winter heatwave tipped to break records in Queensland