“Very hazardous storms” are set to plague Christmas festivities in the east of the country bringing nasty winds, large hail stones and pounding rain.
Between Christmas Eve and Boxing Day every mainland eastern capital, Adelaide excepted, could see it bucket down.
“Unfortunately we are in for a wet Christmas Day along most of the east coast,” said the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) Miriam Bradbury.
Brisbane is looking at up to 50mm over the three day Christmas stretch, Sydney could get 20mm on Sunday and Melbourne even more than that on Monday.
Heat wise, Australia’s west and north is set to be scorching, WA could see widespread temperatures on Christmas Day in the thirties and even forties, but central and eastern areas will be cooler.
“We’re watching for that severe storm potential on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as a low in the south east and a trough draped across the east are our big weather makers,” Sky News Weather meteorologist Bradlyn Oakes told news.com.au.
“The ingredients are all there for very hazardous storms in our eastern capitals with all the threats: damaging winds, large hail – this is a big concern – and heavy rainfall.”
But it is worth nothing that some of the higher rainfall estimates are likely based on deluges associated with storms and as storms can be erratic some places may actually see less moisture than expected.
Melbourne’s potential Christmas Day rain totals just keep going up. The city could see between 3mm and a substantial 30mm come down.
With a high of just 23C, temperatures will be hugely down on 2022’s 32C maximum and it could be the coldest Christmas in Melbourne since 2020.
Saturday will be sunny and 25C with the rain – and possible storms – appearing from Sunday afternoon.
A further 10mm of rain is possible for Boxing Day.
From Saturday, the rain clouds begin to form over Canberra with some moisture in the evening and potential storms.
It won’t be a huge rain total on Christmas Eve in the capital but Monday could experience between 4 and 25mm with storms and a 23C maximum. Boxing Day will see a reduction in the precipitation.
Wet in NSW
Saturday will be a warm 26C and dry in Sydney. The real weather drama begins on Christmas Eve with rain from the morning and storms with 3 to 20mm coming down.
Monday is touch and go on the rain front but up to 7mm is possible with a warm 28C high. Boxing Day will be drier for Sydney and warmer getting to 30C where the mercury will park itself for much of the rest of the week.
Inland NSW is looking soggy too with up to 20mm in Dubbo on Christmas Eve while around 50mm is forecast for Wagga Wagga between the 25th and 26th.
Wollongong could see 30mm between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Newcastle can expect lower rain totals but a stormy Sunday could still be wet with similar weather along the NSW north coast.
The BOM has said that anywhere in the east where storms breakout, those storms could be severe and may include heavy sudden falls of rain, damaging gusts and hail.
Hot and humid in Brisbane with some drops of moisture on Saturday as the mercury peaks at 29C. On Christmas Eve expect 30C with the chance of a storm and as much as 20mm of rain.
Same again on Christmas Day in the city, which will reach 33C, and 10mm the day after.
Some spots of rain in a mostly sunny Cairns but only a millimetre or two each day.
Like NSW, inland parts of Queensland could see stormy day following stormy day.
In Emerald 25mm of rain could fill the gauge on Monday, in Charters Towers there is a maximum rain estimate of 20mm while in Toowoomba Sunday to Tuesday could see light showers or almost 60mm dependent on storms.
Heatwave in WA
Topping out in the mid-thirties in Darwin over Yuletide with possible storms most days but little in the way of rain.
For Christmas, Perth is the place to be with highs of 33 to 36C up to and including Christmas Day. Temperatures dip on Boxing Day to 25C but it should creep up again into the thirties as the week progresses.
Karratha is forecast to peak at 35C on Monday, Broome 33C and parts of the Pilbara and Kimberly more like 45C. Teh BOM currently has heatwave warning on place for northern WA and central inland parts of the state.
Mostly dry and sunny in Adelaide this Christmas although not hugely warm. Saturday could go to 27C but the mercury is set to fall with 22C on Christmas Eve where it will stay put until Boxing Day. A possible shower on Monday.
Rain could occur in Hobart from Sunday but don’t expect much with a few splashes in the gauge here and there. The festive period should remain around 21C with mid teen minimums