Australia’s tropics are likely to be in for a wet and wild Christmas Day, but the forecast is promising for the nation’s southern capital cities.
The development of a monsoon trough across northern Australia has brought the heaviest rains of the wet season, and the rain could linger well into Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Sky News Weather meteorologist Alison Osborne said shower and storm activity would increase across the region due to the “monsoonal shift in the winds”.
“Rainfall of over 200mm is possible stretching from Darwin to Kununurra,” Ms Osborne said.
Storms would strike around the NSW and Queensland border on Friday, but by Christmas on Sunday, showers would have eased somewhat, Ms Osborne said.
“It is still going to be showery and stormy – there is quite a high chance of showers over Brisbane, the Gold Coast and inland parts of southeastern Queensland on Christmas Day,” she said.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Jonathan How said residents along Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast should not be despondent but might want to make a backup plan “in case there is a little bit of annoyance with some rain”.
The temperature will still reach 32C in Darwin despite the forecast heavy Christmas Day rain, while Brisbane residents will enjoy a top of 29C.
A cloudy start to Christmas Day is forecast for Sydney, but “sunny breaks” should feature throughout the afternoon, according to the bureau.
“There could be a shower or storm in the western suburbs through the afternoon, while it will be mostly dry in the eastern suburbs with sunshine poking through,” Mr How said.
The mercury in Sydney will rise to 28C, while Canberrans are in for a spectacular Christmas Day with sunny conditions and a top of 31C.
Tasmanians would also enjoy uncharacteristically clear and warm Christmas weather, with sunny skies and a maximum temperature of 25C, the bureau said.
“There will be some morning cloud with a little bit of fog around, but it should be warm with a top of 29C,” Mr How said.
Memorable Christmas weather is forecast for Adelaide and Perth, both with maximum temperatures of 31C and sunny conditions with light southwesterly winds.
Searing heat is expected in northern WA, where the temperature could hit 43C at Marble Bar amid possible storms.