Summer scorcher: How the weekend heatwave will affect your city
Residents in South Australia, Victoria, NSW and the ACT are bracing themselves for extreme weekend temperatures.
A total fire ban has been issued across the entire state of Victoria for Saturday, with Melbourne tipped to experience its hottest day in almost two years at 41 degrees.
Adelaide is also headed for 41 on Saturday, and while temperatures will cool in Victoria and parts of South Australia on Sunday, NSW and the ACT will swelter late into the weekend.
In Sydney's west, including Richmond and Penrith, the mercury is tipped to soar to 45 on Sunday, while temperatures will reach 38 in the city.
“It’s been heating up for quite a while now without a cool change,” Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Peter Znijewski said, the Daily Telegraph reported.
“We are expecting north to north-westerly winds to continue bringing hot air from central and northwestern Australia.”
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South Australians expecting temperatures over 40 in most regions on Saturday have been issued an extreme bushfire warning.
Northeasterly winds in Adelaide are expected to reach 25 to 35 km/h and increase to 40 km/h before shifting south.
In Victoria on Saturday there's an all-day ban on lighting open fires and the CFA is advising residents living in fire-prone areas to activate their bushfire plans.
The expected 41 in Melbourne will make it the hottest day the city has experienced since January 13, 2016, when temperatures soared to 42.2C.
Temperatures are also expected to soar elsewhere in the state on Saturday - with Geelong and Bendigo expecting a high of 42 and Avalon, Echuca and Warracknabeal expecting 43.
Life Saving Victoria has warned beachgoers of potential dangers after four drownings along the state's coastline since Christmas Day.
Lifesaving operations manager Greg Scott says vulnerable swimmers need to choose a sheltered spot and warns rips are the number one beach hazard.
Ambulance Victoria spokesman Paul Holman believes some parents still believe it's okay to leave their kids in a car and has urged them to be vigilant over the coming days.
"I know today, unfortunately, I'll go back to my office, and I will look at the stats and I will see children left in cars today," Mr Holman told reporters on Friday.
The nation's capital will swelter with top temperatures in Canberra of 36 on Saturday and 38 on Sunday.
Brisbane and Perth are expected to have cooler conditions than the rest of the country on Saturday with tops of 29 and 31 respectively.
Darwin could have thunderstorms and could reach an above-average temperature of 32. Hobart will be hot with possible showers and a top of 34 on Saturday before dropping almost 10 degrees by Sunday.
