It will be a sunny Easter weekend for most of Australia, with light showers scattered across the country predicted to ease as people enjoy the festive period.
After its wettest ever start to the year, Sydney is forecast to have a mostly sunny and dry long weekend.
Senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology Jackson Browne said that while Easter is still a couple of days away and forecasts could change, Australians can start planning their weekend.
“It will be a mild and mostly sunny start to the Easter long weekend across most parts of Australia with some isolated showers for south-east Western Australia, with showers and storms for the north-east Australian coast and Top End,” Browne said.
The weather will be generally settled across most parts of Australia on Easter Saturday but late in the day, a cool change is expected to reach Perth, he said.
“This front will move east across the country on Easter Sunday, bringing partly cloudy and showery conditions to southern South Australia, including Adelaide, and then Tasmania’s south-west and Victoria by Sunday night,” Browne said.
Easter Monday is likely to bring cool, partly cloudy and showery conditions across southern Australia, including Perth, Adelaide, Hobart and Melbourne.
The cold front will move across Victoria and up the south-east coast towards Sydney, with clouds building later in the day and cooler air and showers coming in overnight.
There are a few flood warnings current for the area around the New South Wales-Queensland border, and residents are advised to keep checking for updates.
BoM senior forecaster Miriam Bradbury said Victoria would generally experience mostly sunny conditions, following through until late Sunday when a cold front will bring some clouds up from the south-west as well as the chance of some isolated showers.
“It’ll generally be fairly warm across the weekend with some warm northerly winds increasing on Sunday ahead of that front moving through, so maximum temperatures sitting in at least the mid-20s through Friday and Saturday pushing up to the high 20s,” Bradbury said.
“For Queensland for the Easter weekend, we’re looking at some isolated showers across most of the east coast, turning more widespread in the wet tropics.”
She said the maximum temperatures for Brisbane will generally sit at around 26-27C right throughout the little holiday period.
Despite the flood warnings, she said New South Wales could expect to enjoy warmer weather, with maximum temperatures across the weekend sitting in the mid-20s.
“We’re generally expecting a few showers to linger about the far northern coast, but otherwise fairly dry, warm and mostly sunny conditions especially during the earlier part of the weekend,” Bradbury said.
That is thanks to a fairly dominant ridge of high pressure extending across the state.
While flood-affected areas will get a much-needed break from the downpour, NSW emergency services minister Steph Cooke warns boaters, rock fishers, swimmers and surfers in NSW to take care around the water as they enjoy the sunshine.
“The impact of the flooding and heavy rain has reached far and wide, with sunken debris and displaced navigational aids increasing the risks to those enjoying our waterways this Easter long weekend,” Cooke said on Thursday.
“The weather can change quickly with very little warning.”
She urged people to check the weather forecast and listen to authorities.
Marine Rescue NSW commissioner Stacey Tannos said more than half of all calls for help received by marine rescue volunteers were due to engine, battery or fuel issues.
Surf Life Saving NSW president George Shales said the Easter period was one of the most dangerous on the coast and urged people to swim between the flags at patrolled beaches.
“Last Easter our volunteer surf lifesavers conducted more than 100 rescues and we sadly saw multiple fatalities.
“We are expecting large numbers to head to the beach so please play it safe and listen to advice from lifesavers and lifeguards,” Shales said.
With Australian Associated Press
