Millions of Australians set for sweltering spring weekend

Millions of people around Australia are set for “unusual” weather this weekend in what is set to be a recurring theme this spring.

Millions of Australians are in for a sweaty spring weekend, with sweltering conditions forecast for much of the country.

The warmest weather since April is set to hit the southeast, with Sydney’s western suburbs forecast to bake in temperatures as high as 34C or 35C on Saturday and Sunday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Sydney’s CBD temperature is forecast to hit 30C over the weekend, with Melbourne and Adelaide not far behind on about 27C.

Much of the country is set for a sweltering weekend. Picture: Sky Weather

Temperatures will start to heat up during the week and then “keep on building into that weekend period”, according to a bureau spokesperson.

“It’s not record-breaking yet but definitely unusual,” they said.

The forecast will make grim reading for thousands of runners set to take part in Sunday’s Sydney Marathon.

One concerned participant urged event organisers to change the start time of the race to take the heat into account.

“Bring the start time back to reduce the carnage of people dropping like flies from the heat please,” they wrote on the Sydney Marathon Facebook page.

NCA NewsWire asked event organisers if they planned to change the start time of the race or make any extra provisions for the predicted extreme heat, but they did not respond to a request for comment.

The hot weekend is set to be a recurring theme for Australia this spring, with unusually high temperatures likely for almost all areas of the country.

“Spring is forecast to be warmer than usual across the country,” according to the bureau’s climate services manager Karl Braganza.

The forecast is good news for anyone looking to get a spring beach day in. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

But not so good for people like Simon Burchett as he prepares to join tens of thousands of runners in the Sydney Marathon on September 17. Picture: UNICEF

Dr Braganza said there was a significant contrast in climatic conditions this spring compared with last year when Australia had its second-wettest spring on record.

“This spring, the forecast shows most areas have a high chance of below average rainfall, and many areas have an increased chance of an unusually dry spring,” he said.

Areas with the highest chance of an unusually dry spring are Australia’s southwest and parts of the east.

Large areas of the country are at increased risk of bushfires this spring. Picture: AFAC

With the predictions of hot, dry temperatures comes an increased risk of bushfires, with a map released by the Australasian Fire Authorities Council revealing more than half of Queensland, NSW and the Northern Territory at an increased risk of fire.

“Almost the entire country can expect drier and warmer conditions than normal this spring, so it is important for Australians be alert to local risks of bushfire over the coming months, regardless of their location,” AFAC chief executive Rob Webb said.

Originally published as Millions of Australians set for sweltering spring weekend