Australians are set for a grim start to the new year as storm-ravaged regions battle heatwaves, while others face fresh threats from thunderstorms.
Queenslanders sweltered through the hottest December day in four years on Friday, with heatwave conditions forecast over the New Year’s weekend.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned that swathes of the state’s central and northern regions could hit temperatures as high as the low-40s.
Brisbane, meanwhile, was forecast to face a fresh dumping of rain with as much as 35mm to fall on Friday, with showers continuing into 2024.
The bureau issued an alert on Friday afternoon for a “very dangerous storm”, including damaging winds, up to 90km, and large hail, larger than 2cm, to hit Brisbane.
It comes after powerful storms and heavy rains left more than one 100,000 homes without power, with some 33,500 still in the dark.
On Friday, power company Energex released its restoration plan which aimed to have power restored to 90 per cent of homes by December 31.
“We understand it is difficult to be without power. Our people live and work in these areas and are part of the community,” Energex said.
“In the hardest-hit areas of Mt Tamborine and Jimboomba, network restoration will take some time.
“We aim to have a mix of network and generation to support these communities by the evening of 31 December where it is safe to do so, subject to ongoing damage.”
Energex said it was continually assessing the damage done to the network but faced “significant challenges” due to amount of damage dealt to low and high voltage systems.
In total, more than 40 areas, including Burleigh Heads, were expected to be reconnected on December 30, with a further 35 regions set to be restored on New Year’s Eve.
While NSW avoided much of the worst of the Christmas and Boxing Day holiday storms, Sydney and surrounds are nonetheless set for a sodden start to the New Year.
The Harbour City is forecast to reach just 26C over the weekend, with low-level chances for showers and gusty winds over New Year’s Eve and into the early days of 2024.
In Victoria, where several people were killed after wild weather and floods, temperatures were forecast to reach 21C on Sunday and 25C on Monday in Melbourne, with light winds up to 20km.
Flood warnings were still in place across the state on Friday, including minor flood warnings for the Avoca, Loddon, and Snowy Rivers.
Across the nation, similar inclement and average weather was forecast for the New Year’s holiday weekend.
In Adelaide, the mercury was set to reach 26C on New Year’s Eve and 28C on New Year’s Day with clear skies and sunny weather.
The nation’s capital, Canberra, was forecast to reach temperatures of 22 on New Year’s Eve and 25 the following day with largely cloudy weather.
Off the mainland, Hobart was forecast to stay steady at 23C, while in the far north Darwin was set to reach 35C with a chance of thunderstorms on New Year’s Eve.
Perth, where bushfires had ruined homes in recent weeks, was forecast to stay steady over the New Year’s weekend at 30C with cloudy weather.
Nonetheless, the bureau issued fire weather warnings for Swan Island South and North on Friday due to south-easterly winds and warm conditions.
Across the state on Friday there were 12 bushfires burning under an advice-level warning, including in the south, centre, and northern regions.