Thunderstorms are bringing rain to north Queensland and much of NSW in a wet start to the working week up and down the nation’s east coast.
Storm activity is dragging heavy rain from Queensland’s northwest down to the Wide Bay-Burnett region, with most areas copping up to 50mm of rain over the weekend.
“Wide Bay-Burnett is the target for the nastiest storms today,” said Sky News meteorologist Rob Sharpe on Monday.
“Heavy rain with flash flooding is the main concern, as well as damaging wind gusts.
“But south of the Sunshine Coast, there will just be a shower or two; we are not expecting too much.”
More thunderstorms are on the cards for Wide Bay-Burnett and up along the Queensland coast from Tuesday, but drier conditions for the southeast, as the risk of showers and storms contracts up along the coast throughout the week.
In NSW, severe storms are forecast for the state’s inland regions for Monday, moving to the northwest slopes and plains across the afternoon.
“The Mid-North Coast looks to be the target of that wet weather,” said Mr Sharpe.
“And maybe into the Hunter for [Tuesday] as well, before we see a notable easing trend on Tuesday night into Wednesday.”
In terms of temperature, the nation’s northwest was hotter than usual over the weekend, while the southeast has been cooler, dropping to below 20C on Monday afternoon.
“But by Wednesday, it will be notably warmer across southeastern mainland Australia, and then windier as well,” he said.
“It will be a nasty fire weather day for Tasmania with the windy weather, and for NSW, with the heat and wind combined.
“The next round of heat will run down into South Australia on Friday, and into the southeast on the weekend.”
Depending on the timing of the change, eastern Victoria is expected to cop the heat on Saturday before it moves into NSW.
SYDNEY
A very high chance of showers and a top of 25C for Monday, clearing to a sunny 29C on Wednesday, then up to 34C on Thursday before easing back into the low 30s into the weekend.
MELBOURNE
Partly cloudy and 23C on Monday. Cloud cover hanging around across the week, with tops in the mid-to-high 20s all the way through to the weekend.
BRISBANE
Cloudy with a very high chance of showers on Monday, heading for a top of 30C. The chance of showers will ease to about 20 per cent from Tuesday. Drier conditions from Wednesday with tops in the low 30s.
HOBART
Partly cloudy and 23C on Monday, with tops in the mid-20s into Thursday, when there’s the chance of a morning shower or two. Temperatures will drop down to the low-20s as cloud cover settles in heading into the weekend.
CANBERRA
Partly cloudy with a top of 24C on Monday, and the slight chance of a shower. Things will warm up from Wednesday (29C), before sunshine and tops in the low-30s heading into the weekend.
ADELAIDE
Mostly sunny and 26C on Monday, with similar conditions heading into the weekend. Tops of around 30C from Tuesday, before cooling to about 27C over the weekend.
DARWIN
Mostly sunny conditions and a top of 32C on Monday, coupled with the slight chance of a shower, before the possibility of showers and storms from Tuesday. That last push of the wet season will continue into the weekend, with tops hanging around 30C.
PERTH
Mostly sunny and 30C forecast for Monday, with more sunshine and similar temps to Thursday, when it cools to a partly cloudy 26C, before warming up again heading into the weekend.