Multiple October weather records could tumble over the weekend as temperatures are expected to rise up to 15C above average across parts of Australia.
Parts of South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT are forecast to experience soaring heat, while parts of the east coast will be hit by severe thunderstorms on Saturday, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
“That heat building through much of [Western Australia] today could create temperatures anywhere from eight to 14 degrees above average for much of central and eastern parts of Western Australia and western parts of South Australia,” the bureau’s senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said.
That heat is expected to move inland through SA, causing temperatures to rise 12C above average, before the hot weather sweeps into parts of Queensland and NSW early next week.
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Narramore said inland areas of SA, south-west Queensland and western NSW could experience temperatures into the low to mid 40s.
“For some locations, this will be approaching the October record.”
Oodnadatta in SA is forecast to hit a stifling 45C on Monday, while Birdsville in Queensland is expected to swelter through a five-day stretch of 40C+ temperatures..
Though inland Australia is tipped to endure record temperatures, the forecasts for capital cities Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane are all quite typical for October, Narramore said.
“Severe” thunderstorms, with potential “giant hail”, could strike south-east Queensland and north-east NSW on Saturday, the bureau predicted.
