Bureau of Meteorology issues three-day heatwave warning for inland areas across the country from Christmas Day

This article is more than 1 year old

This article is more than 1 year old

A post-Christmas heatwave is set to hit Australia next week, stretching from Broome to Melbourne, peaking at 45C in South Australia, and bringing the heat to the Boxing Day Test.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a three-day heatwave warning for inland areas across nearly the whole country from Christmas to 28 December.

Severe to low heatwaves will cover northern and central Western Australia, central South Australia, northern Victoria and southern New South Wales in the post-Christmas holiday period.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground will hit a maximum of 32C on Boxing Day, and parts of South Australia will rise to 45C the day after.

Adelaide will reach a maximum of 37C on Boxing Day, 41C on Thursday and 38C on Friday.

Meteorologist Claire Yeo said Thursday would be the hottest day in most parts of the country.

“Places west of the Great Dividing Range in NSW will experience temperatures in the mid-40s, at some locations in SA, we will potentially see temperatures above 45C.

“Generally anywhere in the south east, away from the coast will see those temperatures rising. Anywhere inland is going to be very, very hot.”

Michael Efron, another forecaster for the bureau, said a high pressure system would begin forming over Victoria on Saturday.

On Christmas Day – which will be warm and dry for most of the country – Victoria would experience an afternoon breeze that would cool the state down before dinnertime, he predicted.

But the heat would pick up the next day.

“It will be really hot across the state on Boxing Day: into the low 40s in the north, and 41C in Mildura,” he said. “For the cricket at the MCG, another sunny day, a top of 32C degrees. Do take care if you are outside on Boxing Day.”

Sydney will experience a maximum of 29C on Boxing Day and 30C on Thursday, Melbourne will see 34C on Thursday, and Brisbane is forecast for a maximum of 29C on Boxing Day and Thursday.

Severe storms to hit Queensland after Sydney hail 'catastrophe' Read more

Yeo said the hot spell was expected for a summer that the bureau had already predicted would be hotter and drier than average.

In October, the bureau said there was an 80% chance temperatures would be higher than average this summer, in what forecaster Andrew Watkins said were “astoundingly” high odds.

“We have been continuously forecasting in our climate outlook that temperatures would be above average over the period,” said Yeo.

She added that while the rest of the country sweltered after Christmas, northern Queensland could experience showers from the impact of ex-tropical Cyclone Owen.