Bureau of Meteorology forecasts extreme heatwave for Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania

Parts of Australia looking forward to a long weekend should also be planning for an extreme heatwave and increased fire risk.

Parts of Australia will be bracing for a very hot long weekend, with extreme fire dangers for many in the southeast.

Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said a heatwave warning had been issued for Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia as each state entered their respective public holiday long weekend.

“We’ll start to see the severe intensity heatwave developing through southern parts of the mainland before really peaking through the Saturday to Monday period,” Ms Bradbury said.

Saturday will see extreme heatwave for South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania. Picture: BOM

“It’s at that time we’re seeing the greatest area covered by this severe heatwave conditions, not just southern South Australia and Victoria but parts of northern Tasmania as well, and that hits many of our major town centres including Adelaide and Melbourne.”

Widespread temperatures are set to hit the mid to high 30s pushing into the low 40s inland for southeastern parts of Australia on Friday.

Adelaide is forecast to reach 40 degrees on Friday, with Melbourne and Hobart hitting 39 degrees and 33 degrees respectively

Ms Bradbury said fire danger ratings were also expected elevate over the coming days as temperatures reached extreme.

The heatwave warning begins on Friday. Picture: BOM

“Coinciding with those highest temperatures, we’re also seeing a peak in the fire danger rating,” she said.

“If we look at Sunday’s fire danger ratings, we can see elevated fire danger ratings remain (as temperatures are) still in mid to high 30s if not low 40s for much of the southeast.”

Unfortunately, a cool change isn’t forecast until at least Tuesday but relief won’t come to everyone.

“It’s not until the Tuesday we start to see milder air coming through Tasmania,” Ms Bradbury said.

“There won’t be any cold front following the peak heat.”

Beach-goers are expected to keep cool during the extreme heat. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nicki Connolly

Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Canberra will be observing long weekends this weekend.

Those areas in SA most likely to be impacted by the heatwave include Adelaide Metropolitan Area, Kingscote, Maitland, Mount Gambier, Mount Barker, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte, Port Lincoln, Port Pirie and the Barossa Valley.

In Victoria, Ararat, Ballarat, Edenhope, Hamilton, Leongatha, Melbourne Metropolitan Area, Melton, Moe, Mallacoota, Traralgon and Warragul will feel the effects of the heatwave.

Meanwhile in Tasmania, those living in Bridport, Fingal, George Town, Launceston, Oatlands, St Helens, Scottsdale, Smithton, Sheffield and Whitemark should prepare for heatwave conditions.

Queensland is set to reach a top of 29 degrees with a 50 per cent chance of showers on Friday.

In WA, Perth will hit a high of 30 degrees with a medium chance of showers forecast.

In Sydney, the Bureau forecasts a top of 28 degrees for Friday.

Originally published as Bureau of Meteorology forecasts extreme heatwave for Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania