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Millions of Australians along the east coast are preparing for a stormy weekend, with meteorologists warning of severe thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and damaging winds as a cold front moves across the region.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), large parts of southeastern Australia—including Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, and Adelaide—are expected to face “unsettled weather” from Friday through Saturday.
Storm Activity Across the Region
BoM forecaster Jonathon Howe said thunderstorms could develop from southern Victoria and South Australia up to northern New South Wales, bringing strong wind gusts and the risk of hail.
“Today we are looking at the possibility of thunderstorms all the way from southern Victoria across to South Australia and up into northern parts of NSW,” Mr Howe explained.
He added that northwestern NSW and northern Victoria may experience damaging wind gusts on Friday afternoon, while severe thunderstorms are also likely across southern inland Queensland and Central Australia.
Mr Howe further warned of potential heavy rainfall, damaging winds, and large hail stretching from Wollongong to Sydney, Newcastle, the Hunter Region, and the Mid North Coast, extending into interior parts of Queensland.
City Forecasts
Sydney: Hot and partly sunny on Saturday (31°C), with thunderstorms expected in the afternoon. Cooler conditions will follow on Sunday (19°C).
Canberra: Morning thunderstorms on Saturday (24°C), turning mostly cloudy and cooler on Sunday (16°C).
Melbourne: Rain and cooler winds on Saturday (12°C), followed by brief morning showers Sunday (16°C).
Brisbane: Isolated thunderstorms and humid conditions Saturday (31°C), continuing into Sunday (25°C).
Perth: Mostly sunny through the weekend, with highs around 27–28°C.
Hobart: Clear on Saturday (13°C), turning cloudy Sunday (18°C).
Darwin: Warm and partly sunny throughout the weekend, reaching 34°C.
Cool Change for the South
A cool front will bring a noticeable temperature drop to southeastern Australia, with Melbourne expected to dip below 8°C on Friday night. Tasmania will also face cold and wet weather conditions across the weekend.
Aftermath of Recent Storms
The warnings come just days after Sydney was hit by intense thunderstorms on Monday night, which caused flooding, fallen trees, and large hailstones. The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) responded to nearly 400 calls for assistance following the storm.
Mr Howe noted that conditions are expected to ease by Sunday, with calmer weather returning to most regions, although isolated thunderstorms may persist in northeast NSW and eastern Queensland.
