Australia long weekend weather: ‘Abnormally’ high temperatures as heat rollercoaster sweeps east

It’s not a heatwave, it’s a heat rollercoaster with one city set to hit 38C on a scorching long weekend before temperatures then plummet.

Forecasters are warning that “abnormally” hot weather is sweeping towards the east and south of Australia where most states have a long weekend coming.

It arrives after Perth broke its September heat record on Wednesday reaching 34.3C

That spike of heat from Western Australia is barrelling across the country and is set to hit South Australia on Saturday and New South Wales on Sunday.

In Adelaide, temperatures could be 12 to 14 degrees above average.

The mercury in Sydney could peak at 35C in the CBD on Sunday. If that forecast is met, it will be the hottest day in the Harbour City this early in spring.

That could mean the NRL Grand Final kicks off with temperatures still north of 30C.

Next week, in the city’s west a high not far off 40C is forecast.

Even those major cities in the east that don’t get to 30C won’t be far off it. And that means fire dangers are on the rise.

A funnel of heat will dominate central and eastern Australia on the long weekend. Picture: BSCH.

Heat rollercoaster

But rather than being a heatwave, with sustained above average temperatures over several days, it’s going to be more like a heat seesaw or rollercoaster with hot days interspersed with cooler maximums.

“The long weekend is shaping up to be a hot one across southern and eastern Australia with some big day-to-day swings for our capitals,” Sky News meteorologist Alison Osborne told news.com.au.

“A hot dry air mass is migrating from the west across southern regions during Friday”.

Sunday could be the hottest day for much of NSW. Picture: Sky News.

Scorching Labour Day

South Australia will feel that heat first. A high of 25C on Thursday will bob up to 28C on Friday and then 31C on a sunny Saturday. On Sunday, down the mercury goes to a mere 21C before shooting back up to 31C on Monday.

That front will then funnel heat further east.

“Sunday is looking hot, dry and windy across virtually all of NSW and extreme fire weather warnings looking likely,” said Ms Osborne.

“After all the lightning but hardly any rain this week, it’s looking primed for any sparks to escalate.”

Broken Hill could go from 26C on Thursday to 37C on Tuesday; Wagga will likely hit 32C on Sunday and 33C on Tuesday; Dubbo is looking at 35C on Sunday; Tamworth 34C on Monday and Grafton around 34C all long weekend.

Monday is set to be hot in many areas. Picture: Sky News Weather.

Grand Final could be above 30C

A showery Sydney will get to just 22C on Thursday. But strap in as it’s a rollercoaster of warmth after that.

A sunny Friday will get to 29C, then down to a reasonable 26C on Saturday before rocketing up to 35C on Sunday. The high then plummets from that peak to a mere 24C on Monday before pushing up again to 33C on Tuesday. Each night’s lows will be around 13-16C.

Website Weatherzone has said Sydney’s “abnormally hot weather” to start October could see some suburbs report record high temperatures for this time of year.

Thursday’s 25C will be the last sub 30C day in Penrith, in the city’s west, for a spell. Friday is forecast to reach 33C and then 36C on Sunday and a whopping 38C on Tuesday.

At Sydney’s Accor Stadium, where the Penrith Panthers and Brisbane Broncos clash on Sunday evening, it’s expected to reach 35C at 3pm. It won’t be as hot as that when the game starts at 7.30pm but it could easily still be around 30C.

Much beer is being delivered to Sydney’s Accor Stadium – it'll probably be needed to cool off in the expected heat.

Newcastle could see 32C on Friday and 35C on Sunday; Wollongong’s hottest day will be Sunday on 34C.

Canberra will head up from the mid-twenties to 29C on a windy Sunday and then a possible 31C on Tuesday. But the lows will be cool at around 4 – 7C.

In Melbourne, where there is no public holiday, expect 21C on Thursday, rising to 25C on Friday and then 29C on Saturday. A showery and cloudy Sunday will see temperatures drop to 23C on Sunday where they will remain on Monday.

Hobart won’t even make it above 20C on Thursday and Friday. But Saturday should be a pleasant 23C. Sunday is forecast to be 19C and showery with 20C on Monday and 23C on Tuesday.

Heading towards 30C in a blue skies Brisbane this week, but it might not exceed that mark the whole way. It’s looking like the mercury is going to be stubbornly bobbing between 27 and 29C over the King‘s Birthday long weekend. The warmest day could be Monday at 29C.

Townsville will be 29C and partly cloudy from Thursday until at least Tuesday.

Wednesday saw a record breaking hot day in Perth. That heat is now heading east. Picture: Weatherzone.

Darwin is also in a repeating pattern of sunny highs, touching 35C with 22C lows. Alice Springs will see 37C on Sunday and then 398C to start the week.

After a record shattering Wednesday in Perth its back down with a high of 29C on Thursday. In contrast to the east the temperatures are falling in the west. Friday should top out at 29C then 22C on Saturday with some rain and it just keeps slowly falling with a high of 19C on a wet Monday.