Extreme heatwave continues for Far North

Warm nights and warmer days are expected to stick around as Far North residents battle an extended heatwave.

Warm nights and hotter days are expected to stick around as Far North residents battle an extended heatwave.

An extreme heatwave warning remains for the North Tropical Coast and Tablelands region, with hot conditions set to continue into next week and increased showers and thunderstorm activity forecast from Thursday.

Bureau of Meteorology community information officer Daniel Hayes said it was unlikely temperatures would get noticeably cooler.

“We should see things ease into latter part of the week but we’re not talking any significant, strong change,” Mr Hayes said.

Cairns is currently experiencing heat wave conditions, with the temperature forecast to peak on Wednesday before Far North Queensland gets a slight reprieve. Colombian tourists Hans Ortiz and Maria Toro do their best to keep cool by wearing wide brim hats and loose clothing while walking along the Cairns Wharf foreshore in the hot and humid weather. Picture: Brendan Radke

“For us along the coast, this heatwave has been much more about minimum temperatures, sitting in those mid to high twenties and even pushing up towards 30 in a couple of places.”

Temperatures in Cooktown, Cairns, Innisfail and Cardwell are all predicted to reach a maximum of 35C on Wednesday and drop in to the mid thirties in the latter half of the week, with night temperatures across the coast forecast to stay above 25C into Monday.

Inland to Atherton and Mareeba daytime temperatures are set to peak in the low thirties on Wednesday and night temperatures will reach the mid twenties.

Mr Hayes said the potential for thunderstorms would increase throughout the Far North as ex-cyclone Kirrily moves upward.

“We’ll probably see some really widespread shower activity on Thursday, pretty much right from the Gulf into the Cairns coast and further north and south.

“Showers could reach up to 20mm, thunderstorm activity could be more than that, pushing up into potentially 50-80mm range.”

Originally published as Extreme heatwave continues for Far North