Bureau of Meteorology expects low intensity heatwaves for Australia Day weekend

Most of the country is expected to feel at least low intensity heatwaves this long Australia Day weekend, but most major cities will be spared.

A low-intensity warning from the Bureau of Meteorology blankets all of NSW except Sydney, Wollongong and the northern half of the state’s coast.

Similarly, most of Queensland except the large cities will be in a low-intensity heatwave for Saturday, Sunday and Monday.

Victoria and Tasmania are forecast to dodge the sweltering heat until Monday.

WA and the Northern Territory will see inland heatwaves, while all of South Australia is advised to prepare for heatwave conditions.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said a low pressure trough would likely bring storms for Queensland on Saturday, while the southwest corner of WA was being cooled by a low pressure system.

“In the southeast (of Queensland), we’ve got areas of high pressure which will bring warming conditions but generally settled weather for the southeast states this weekend,” she said.

North, central and south Queensland will likely get rain on Saturday, with the risk of heavy falls in the central interior. Barcaldine, for instance, is likely to see a storm on Saturday and temperatures up to 42 degrees.

But the major Queensland cities in the southeast look to be settled through the long weekend, with no real rain on the radar and mostly sunny conditions through to Tuesday.

The long weekend in NSW will be dry and hot inland, but more mild by the sea. The heatwave is moving down from the north, but is not likely to reach the coastal cities.

Sydney is in store for a mostly sunny Saturday and Sunday, before the skies totally clear on Monday and with an expected maximum of 27 degrees. Northeast NSW will likely get rain on Sunday.

Victoria will be mostly sunny until the heatwave comes down hard on Monday, driving forecast temperatures up into the 40s. Melbourne is forecast to hit 42 degrees on Monday, while Albury-Wodonga, Echuca and Horsham may hit 41 degrees.

There is a bit of rain about for Tasmania during the long weekend. Similarly, the heatwave is forecast to come knocking on Monday, with Hobart in for a top of 33 degrees and a shower or two.

The far northwest of South Australia will continue to experience severe heatwaves, while slightly less intense heat blankets pretty much the entire state.

Adelaide will be mostly sunny, with forecast maximums of 31, 37 and then 35 degrees across the long weekend.

Westward, Perth and the Great Southern region dodge the heatwaves which are blanketing the rest of the state.

There is some rain about Saturday morning in Perth, but after that the rest of the long weekend will be sunny with maximum temperatures in the low 30s. The coast from Jurien Bay to Coral Bay will be windy Sunday and Monday, as temperatures in the Mid West and Gascoyne creep into the 40s. The Pilbara is set for dry, gusty storms and intense heatwave conditions.

In the top end, Alice Springs will be hot but with clear skies this weekend, while possible storms accompany rain in Darwin.