Summer is finally on its way to Canberra with near perfect weather forecast to arrive in time for Christmas.
The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted 27 degrees for the ACT on Christmas Eve, with temperatures set to soar to a pleasant 30 degrees on Christmas Day.
Canberra's balmy Christmas will be the warmest December day for the year, after a record setting cold start to the month.
Meteorologist Dean Narramore said sunshine and warm weather was expected across ACT and NSW, as well as most of the rest of south-eastern Australia.
"The Christmas weekend is looking sensational," he said.
"Probably a perfect day for some backyard cricket and for sitting by the pool."
Fine weather to continue in #Canberra for much of the week with cool nights and warm days. A few showers Thu/Fri then back to fine for the weekend. Christmas Day :christmas_tree: outlook is fine and sunny :sunny:with a max of 30. :santa::gift:. See https://t.co/TEDbR62ZZy for details.
— Bureau of Meteorology Australian Capital Territory (@BOM_ACT) December 18, 2022
Canberrans celebrating the festive season on the South Coast will likely be treated to much of the same, the bureau forecasting mid to high 20s for much of the region.
Batemans Bay was expecting 28 degrees on Sunday, further down the coast in Merimbula it will be a little cooler with a high of 26 degrees forecast.
Mr Narramore said the cold weather pattern that had brought snow to Perisher last week finally looked to have changed.
Rain and thunderstorm activity picking up across northern Australia were bringing some signs of monsoon, which typically meant heat building across southern Australia, he said.
"Finally these cold fronts look as though they're dropping away as we're moving to next week and we'll go into more of a period of more sustained warm to hot and sunny weather," Mr Narramore said.
Canberra taco truck owner Cesar Corripio will spend Christmas Day with family in Albury where temperatures are set to peak at 32 degrees.
The Jarochos operator said he hoped the warmer weather was a sign of things to come, with more Canberrans dining outdoors throughout January.
People spending Christmas Day in Sydney can expect a top of 28 degrees and mostly sunny, Melbourne is forecast to reach 27 degrees and sunny, while Hobart will likely stay a bit cooler at 21 degrees.
Adelaide and Perth will be sunny at 30 and 31 degrees. Brisbane was forecast for a partly cloudy day with a top of 31 degrees and the chance of some showers.
"Generally, much of the capitals across southern Australia are looking at a warm and sunny Christmas," Mr Narramore said.
Unfortunately for Canberrans already on holiday, things will get a little worse in the ACT before they get better.
Lows of 5 and 7 degrees were forecast on Tuesday and Wednesday morning and a high chance of rain was forecast for Thursday.
Mr Narramore said La Nina was still hanging around and would likely do so for much of January, although it was easing.
Talks of a white Christmas in the Kosciuszko National Park and Brindabellas could now likely be ruled out, Mr Narramore said.
"The patterns we had through November and December with the weekly fronts bringing snow and those cold mornings has finally flipped," he said.
Mr Narramore said the low-pressure system hanging around the Tasman bringing some rain to the NSW coast this week was finally moving away.
"Thanks to the rain and thunderstorms picking up across northern Australia it's finally led to our pattern changes and more summer like weather."
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