Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide are expected to experience extremely hot temperatures this weekend, with forecasts indicating a climb into the low 40s.
On Saturday, Adelaide may reach a high of 39C, while Melbourne is expected to hit 36C, according to the Bureau of Meteorology’s senior meteorologist, Miriam Bradbury. The warm weather is set to move north-east towards New South Wales on Sunday, when Sydney can expect temperatures of up to 36C.
However, as the weekend progresses, a cold front is expected to bring a shift, with temperatures dropping in South Australia and Victoria on Sunday and in NSW on Monday due to the influence of the cold front.
This cold front is also expected to bring strong winds and potential thunderstorms to Victoria, South Australia, and Tasmania on Saturday, with temperatures dropping to 22C in Adelaide and 18C in Melbourne.
Following a hot Sunday, Sydney is expected to see gusty southerly winds and cooler temperatures on Monday, reaching around 25C.
Prior to the cold front’s arrival, several regions in SA, NSW, and Victoria are likely to experience hot March temperatures, especially inland areas. Port Augusta in SA is expected to reach 41C on Saturday, and Broken Hill 39C.
The hot, dry conditions increase the risk of fire, with high fire danger predicted throughout Victoria and south-east NSW on Saturday, and extreme fire danger in much of southern SA, including the Mount Lofty ranges and mid-north districts, as per Bradbury.
The coldest air associated with the front pushing out the heatwave is expected to affect the south-east late Sunday into Monday. Bradbury noted that the coldest temperatures are likely to be experienced on Monday, with widespread high teens in the south-east and low 20s inland.
Severe thunderstorms could develop in parts of northern and north-east Victoria on Sunday afternoon, potentially bringing heavy rain or damaging winds. In the south-east, the heaviest rainfall is expected in western Tasmania on Sunday, with moderate rain forecasted for eastern Victoria.
