Millions of Australians will be sweating through a brutally humid heatwave this weekend as residents of one state are told to stay indoors as much as possible.
Sticky temperatures and hot winds are forecast for parts of South Australia, Western Australia, the Northern Territory, Queensland and New South Wales.
Elderly, infants and sick people living in areas northwest of Adelaide have been told to stay indoors as temperatures soar above 41 degrees Celsius.
The heatwave comes as two low-pressure systems over Far North Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia could develop into cyclones this weekend.
A third system lingering over islands in northwestern Australia could develop into a cyclone early next week, bringing heavy rain and damaging winds.
Here, Daily Mail Australia gives you a summary of this weekend’s weather forecast.
Millions of Australians will sweat through a brutal heatwave this weekend as residents of one state are told to stay indoors as much as possible (pictured, beachgoers in Sydney)
Sydney
Sydney sweated through its muggiest day in 15 years on Thursday, despite temperatures in the west remaining close to average for this time of year.
The dew point, the best indicator of stuffiness, made it feel five to six degrees warmer than the city’s maximum temperatures.
The city reached 31 degrees Celsius on Thursday, the highest temperature in three weeks with a record dew point of 25.9 degrees, 16 degrees above the January average of 14.9 degrees.
Storms could continue to hit the north-west and mid-west of the state in areas such as Bourke, Nyngan and Coonamble on Friday and throughout the weekend.
A trough will bring more showers to western NSW on Saturday as the heat moves south with highs of 30ºC on Saturday and 27ºC on Sunday.
A severe weather warning was issued for parts of the tropical north coast around Port Douglas on Friday for heavy rainfall with a risk of flash flooding.
Brisbane
All eyes will be on parts of north and central Queensland this weekend, where a monsoon trough will bring falls of 500mm and possible thunderstorms.
It comes less than a month after ex-Cyclone Jasper caused damaging flooding in parts of Cairns, Port Douglas and the Douglas Shire.
A tropical low will form in the Gulf of Carpentaria on Friday, with a 15 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone this weekend.
Weather Zone meteorologist Quincy Tut explained that while the forecast earlier this week showed a 20 to 30 percent chance of a cyclone forming, most models now show a less than 20 percent chance.
“At this stage it seems quite unlikely that a cyclone will form between Saturday and Sunday,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
“This weekend’s trough could produce a cyclone. A lot of models show a low, deepening trough, but nothing that is really worrying.’
Forecasters say up to three lows could develop over the next four days, with the entire state bracing for heavy rain late in the week.
The wet and wild conditions in southern Queensland are expected to ease over the coming days, but showers are forecast throughout the weekend.
A severe weather warning was issued for parts of the tropical north coast around Port Douglas on Friday for heavy rainfall with a risk of flash flooding.
Temperatures will reach 30 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday and 31 degrees on Sunday.
The Bureau has forecast a moderate chance of a tropical cyclone forming west of Darwin
The weekend will be cloudy in Melbourne, after a cool change overnight, with showers
Melbourne
Southerly city breezes kept temperatures cool in Melbourne on Thursday with highs of 23 degrees Celsius, but the state’s north was unaffected by the cool winds.
The high pressure system in the Top End will bring warm and moist northerly breezes across the east coast, including Melbourne.
Temperatures are expected to reach a hot and sticky 32 degrees Celsius on Friday.
The humid conditions are likely to produce thunderstorms over eastern areas of the state, with isolated rainfall totals of 30mm.
The swollen River Goulburn, downstream of Shepparton, remains under a moderate flood warning following showers earlier this week.
The weekend will be cloudy in Melbourne, after a cool change overnight.
The city will reach maximum temperatures of 23 degrees Celsius on both Saturday and Sunday, while the hot and sticky weather returns on Monday with highs of 28 degrees.
Perth
Perth will reach a scorching 37 degrees Celsius on Friday, with temperatures reaching 41 degrees Celsius on Saturday and 36 degrees Celsius on Sunday and Monday.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a heatwave warning for much of Western Australia as many prepare for severe and extreme conditions.
In the Pilbara, Marble Bar will reach 44°C on Friday and 46°C over the weekend, while temperatures in Broome will rise to 36°C on Friday and 38°C on Saturday and Sunday.
The Kimberley is expected to experience strong winds and rain on Sunday.
Three tropical lows could develop into cyclones starting Friday, bringing severe conditions to regions recently hit by Cyclone Jasper and flooding
The three systems (pictured above) all have a low chance of developing into cyclones, but will still bring heavy rain and potentially damaging winds to northern Australia
Darwin
A monsoon trough has moved into the Top End, bringing heavy rain and possible thunderstorms to large parts of the Northern Territory.
Isolated falls of up to 90mm are forecast for Sunday, with temperatures set to remain at a hot and humid 31 degrees Celsius for most of the weekend.
The Bureau has forecast a moderate chance of a tropical cyclone developing west of Darwin in the coming days.
There is a forecast of a 25 per cent chance of a cyclone forming in the Gulf of Joseph Bonaparte this weekend, covering an area south of Darwin to WA’s Kimberly region.
Adelaide
Parts of South Australia should brace for a scorching heatwave this weekend, with temperatures expected to reach 40 degrees Celsius in some areas.
Adelaide will sweat through a humid weekend, with temperatures reaching 35 degrees Celsius on Friday, 32 degrees Celsius on Saturday, 29 degrees Celsius on Sunday and 32 degrees Celsius on Monday.
Temperatures in Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Roxby Downs and Woomera are expected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius on Friday, while a severe wind warning has been issued for the coast.
The National Emergency Service (SES) has warned the elderly, babies, young children and people who are already ill to stay indoors.
A high fire danger was forecast for most of the state on Thursday, with the Yorke Peninsula, Mid North, West Coast, Eastern Eyre Peninsula, Lower Eyre Peninsula, Flinders and North East Pastoral regions on high alert.
Meteorologists warned on Wednesday that a monsoon trough for the Gulf of Carpentaria will bring thunderstorms to regions damaged by Cyclone Jasper.
Hobart
Hobart will have cool and cloudy weather on Saturday and Sunday.
Tuesday will be the warmest day of the week, with highs around 27 degrees.
Weatherzone said Hobart could see some morning drizzle on Friday, with the rest of the weekend remaining dry.
Canberra
Canberrans will struggle through a hot and sticky weekend, with temperatures reaching 31 degrees Celsius on Friday and Saturday.
On Sunday the maximum temperatures will drop considerably, with a minimum of 15 degrees.
Showers are forecast throughout the weekend, with a possible storm on Saturday.
The week starts cool, before temperatures rise to 25 degrees Celsius on Wednesday.
