Eastern Australia preparing for a week of wild weather

Much of the country is facing intense weather in the week ahead, as forecasters predict storms and one city’s first heatwave of the season.

Forecasters are warning of a thunderstorms “flashing to life” across eastern Australia for much of the week ahead.

But across northern and western Australia it’s the prolonged heat that’s the issue, with Perth potentially becoming the first capital city to experience a severe heatwave this season.

Sky News meteorologist Alison Osborne said southern Queensland and the northern revers region of New South Wales will face thunderstorms which could lead to flash flooding.

Brisbane, Sydney, and Canberra are all susceptible to thunderstorms early in the week.

Wild storms are predicted over parts of southern Queensland and the northern rivers region of NSW this week. Picture: Sky Weather

The forecast comes after eastern regions of the NSW and Queensland border were bombed by golf ball-sized hailstones mid week.

The upcoming soaking is likely to be welcomed in the fire-ravaged parts of NSW and Queensland.

“The last week has been characterised by outback downpours … and that’s expected every single day in the coming week,” Ms Osborne said.

“Winds coming off the Coral and Tasman seas; they’re feeding moisture laden into that area of low pressure.

You have the recipe for widespread showers and thunderstorms – and that pattern isn’t shifting much over the next week.”

From Monday showers and storms will focus over eastern Queensland south of Bundaberg. Picture: Sky Weather

Already this week more than a month’s worth of rain has fallen across parts of central Australia, including 36 millimetres in Alice Springs in just 24 hours.

Much of the precipitation in the coming days could be associated with storms – with damaging winds also a threat.

The drama will miss Melbourne completely, however the city will see grey and gloomy skies for much of the week.

Residents across southern Queensland and the Murray Darling Basin will have to deal with widespread falls tallying up to 60 to 100 millimetres over the week — with some areas reaching up to 200mm.

A period of "prolonged heat" is expected to continue over the next week across much of northern Australia. Picture: Sky Weather

Ms Osborne said the rain will likely intensify by the weekend but is keeping the Australia’s southeast cooler and much of the rest of the country experiences “prolonged heat”.

Across northern Australia an ongoing heatwave is expected to continue, with temperatures reaching as high as the low 40s.

Heatwave conditions along the west coast will extend as far south as Perth from Sunday to next Thursday.

“This means Perth could be the first capital city this season to have a severe heatwave,” Ms Osbourne said.

Originally published as Eastern Australia preparing for a week of wild weather