Severe heatwave burst to thrash majority of Australia over weekend

Millions of Aussies will be bracing for a severe heatwave but luckily relief is in sight for many parts of the country. A severe heat warning remains in place for East Gippsland in Victoria, the Peninsula district in far north Queensland, the South Coast district in NSW, while a fire weather warning for the West Coast, Eastern Eyre Peninsula and Lower Eyre Peninsula in South Australia continues. Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Miriam Bradbury says relief is in sight though as cloud, showers and storms extending from northwestern parts of the country, through central Australia and down into the southeast develop over the weekend. Canberra is set to reach a top of 32 degrees on Saturday, while Sydney will also see warm temperatures of 28 degrees. “It’ll be hot and dry with severe heatwave conditions about the south coast (of NSW),” Ms Bradbury said. In Melbourne, a cool change is on the way but residents will have to experience “hot, humid and partly cloudy conditions” across Saturday. “A severe heatwave is ongoing through East Gippsland and extreme fire dangers across across the Mallee and the Wimmera in the north-west,” Ms Bradbury said. “Melbourne is looking at an overnight minimum of just 25 degrees but with forecast for 37 degrees on Saturday “But the cool change is on the way. “We can see it moving into western Victoria, bringing showers possible thunderstorms, and possible rainfall for the Wimmera and southwest in particular. “It’s going to bring about cooler weather for he later part of the weekend”. Ms Bradbury said in Queensland, residents could expect some showers across the weekend. “Queensland is looking at a few coastal showers, with showers and storms ongoing across parts of northern Australia as well,” she said. “Drier weather is on the way for the far southwest.” “But there are showers across eastern parts of the state on Saturday, as well as well as in the north with risk of storms. “Moderate falls are once again a risk for the north tropical coast, but they’re less likely in the southeast.” Brisbane is forecast to reach a top of 27 degrees with some showers. In Tasmania, conditions will be partly cloudy, warm and humid across the state with a few showers as a trough moves across later on Saturday. Both Perth and Adelaide will reach a top of 29 degrees, while Darwin will remain humid with a top of 32 degrees on Saturday. It comes as the the southeastern parts of Australia continued to battle through an intense heatwave, with temperatures soaring up to 15C above the November average, while the northern and western parts of the country are battling severe thunderstorms, intense lashings of rain and flash flooding.