Brisbane set to swelter as heatwave breaks record in Mackay

Brisbane is bracing for temperatures five degrees above average as a heatwave sends temperatures skyrocketing further north.

A low-intensity heatwave hit the state's far north on Friday. Extreme heatwave conditions set in across northern and central Queensland starting Sunday.

Brisbane is in for a hot start to the week.Credit: Wendy Hughes

Cairns, Townsville, Rockhampton, Mackay and their surrounds sweltered through the weekend.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned these extreme heatwave conditions would remain for the rest of the week.

Mackay Airport broke the highest daily maximum temperature record for November on Saturday with 37.8 degrees and also recorded 37.6 on Sunday.

“From 1950 to this year, Mackay Airport has observed only two days above 36 degrees in November,” the bureau said.

On Monday, the north Queensland city is expected to hit 38 degrees, with maximums above 36 degrees remaining until Friday.

Cairns and Townsville are both expected to reach 39 degrees while Rockhampton could hit 40 degrees.

Forecasters predicted Brisbane would start the week with a maximum of 34 degrees.

BOM senior forecaster Gabriel Branescu said the capital's temperature forecasts were about four-to-six degrees above average for this time of year.

"It will continue to be above average by about five degrees in the south-east for the next coming days," he said.

"[It will] cool down a little bit by Friday and Saturday to just 2 degrees above average in the south-east."

Mr Branescu said the main focus for Queensland's heatwave was the large area that spanned from the northern tip of the peninsula along the north-east coast and all the way down to Gladstone.