Heatwave to blast parts of Australia as millions face days of storms and heavy rain

Parts of the country are set to be blasted by extreme heat in the coming days, bringing warnings about the health risks of extreme temperatures.

The mercury is expected to reach the low to mid-40s in inland parts of Far North Queensland between Friday and Sunday.

On the coast it will be in the mid or high 30s, and overnight temperatures will remain in the 20s.

Queensland Health has issued a health warning over the weather.

Peninsula, Herbert and Lower Burdekin, Central Coast and Whitsundays, Capricornia, Central Highlands and Coalfields, Central West, North West, Channel Country and Maranoa and Warrego Districts are set to be most affected.

The heatwave will also move to the western Pilbara and south-eastern Western Australia over the weekend, as well parts of western South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Storms for Australia’s east

Meanwhile, storms loom for much of eastern Australia throughout the coming week, with multiple capitals in the firing line.

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a potential storm for Sydney tomorrow, followed by showers of rain all through to next Monday.

Rain is also forecast for Melbourne on Wednesday and Thursday, and for Brisbane later in the week.

It follows a weekend of intense rain across parts of the eastern seaboard, including falls of 100mm on the Gold Coast, Tweed Heads, and parts of Tasmania.

The Australian Open was also hampered by wet weather on Sunday.

Weatherzone reported that while the weekend’s rain was driven by troughs linked to low pressure systems across the south-east, the upcoming storms will also be influenced by steering winds.

“Steering winds are winds at an elevation of about 3000 metres which direct the movement of weather systems,” Weatherzone’s Anthony Sharwood wrote.

“As steering winds from the west pick up at mid-levels of the atmosphere this week, the extra energy and wind shear will likely make storms more severe as the next trough moves through.”

Weatherzone predicted Wednesday afternoon through to Thursday morning as the most dangerous storm period, including for Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra.

The weather site forecast potential dangerous wind gusts as well as potential flooding.