Heatwave to scorch one-third of Australia

A heatwave that engulfed parts of WA over the weekend is spreading across Australia, expected to scorch one third of the country.

A heatwave that warmed up parts of WA over the weekend is spreading across Australia, poised to engulf one third of the country.

Maps from Weatherzone and the Bureau of Meteorology show soaring temperatures that are expected to roast large swathes of Australia, with only Tasmania and parts of the southern coast spared.

Maximum temperatures in about a third of the country — indicated in pink on a Weatherzone map — are expected to reach a blistering 44C or higher by Thursday.

Temperatures in the pink regions are tipped to reach 44C or higher by Thursday. Picture:

A map from the BOM, meanwhile, shows heatwave conditions across large parts of central and Northern Australia from Monday, including extreme warnings around the WA-SA border and around Broome.

From Tuesday, severe heatwave conditions are expected to spread into western NSW and southwest Queensland and, from Wednesday, they are expected to extend towards the NSW coast, including the outer Sydney region.

Heatwave warnings cover large parts of Australia this week. Picture: BOM.

The heatwave is forecast to move east as the week goes on. Picture:

Parts of WA have already begun to warm, including the Pilbara mining town of Paraburdoo, which recorded Australia’s hottest temperature so far this summer, 43.8°C.

The mercury is expected to climb higher still as the heatwave moves east.

Oodnadatta, the SA town which jointly holds the record for Australia’s hottest recorded temperature — 50.7C, set on January 2, 1960 — is looking at a run of maximum temperatures of 44C, 45C and 46C between Tuesday and Friday.

Several other SA locations are tipped to reach 47C at least once between Tuesday and Friday, including Tarcoola, Marree and Oak Valley.

Western NSW and Queensland are also poised also reach the mid-40s, with Tibooburra in northwest NSW tipped to top 45C on Thursday and the same peak expected for Birdsville, Queensland that day.

The heatwave is expected to impact the Sydney region from Wednesday. Picture: BOM

Most of the capital cities are expected to avoid the worst of the heat, though maximum temperatures are forecast to be balmy.

Sydney has a warm week ahead, with the mercury poised to reach 35C on Saturday. The rest of the week is marked by summery highs of between 25C and 30C.

Showers are on the cards from Thursday in Melbourne, though it’s still expected to be relatively warm. The high in the Victorian capital this week is 29C, forecast on Friday.

Brisbane is poised to be hot for most of the next week, with temperatures not forecast to fall below 20C. The maximum temperature is expected to bounce between 30C and 31C.

Adelaide is expected to shoulder the heat midweek, with a maximum temperature of 32C on both Wednesday and Thursday. Temperatures should drop off as the rain rolls in on Saturday, falling significantly a maximum of 21C.

Canberra, too, is forecast to see balmy highs of between 33C and 34C from Wednesday through to Saturday, before temperatures cool to 24C by the end of the weekend.

The mercury is expected to steadily climb each day this week in Perth, with maximum temperatures of 31C, 32C and 34C on Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively, culminating in a hot 35C on Monday next week.

Hobart, too, is beginning to warm up, though not as drastically as the other capitals. The city’s hottest maximum temperature in the next week is 24C, expected to be reached on both Tuesday and Friday.

The wet season is underway in Darwin, where showers and possible thunderstorms are expected every day for the next week. The weather will be hot, with a maximum of 34C each day and overnight lows that aren’t expected to drop below 26C.

Originally published as Heatwave to scorch one-third of Australia