Most of Australia will wake up to a bright, sunny Christmas Day, but Victoria and South Australia are headed for extremely dangerous fire weather on Boxing Day.
Melbourne has clear and sunny skies forecast for Wednesday, reaching 30C. But it can expect a stifling 40C on Thursday, with maximums across Victoria in the high 30s or low 40s.
Brisbane is forecast to reach a maximum of 30C, while Sydney can expect a sunny 27C. Temperatures will hit the high 30s and low 40s across inland Queensland and mid 30s in parts of regional New South Wales.
Hobart is forecast for a cloudy 23C, while Perth can expect a windy 24C. Darwin is set for thunderstorms on Wednesday, with a maximum of 34C.
Extreme fire danger is forecast for southern parts of South Australia, including the Mount Lofty Rangers, and western parts of Victoria on Christmas Day.
Towns near the border, including Edenhope, Hamilton and Mildura face temperatures topping 35C on Wednesday. Adelaide is set to hit 37C.
But authorities are very concerned for Boxing Day when hot and windy conditions will move into the south-eastern states.
A total fire ban has been declared for Victoria on Boxing Day.
Dean Narramore, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, warned hot temperatures on Christmas and Boxing Day are driving the bushfire fears.
“We’re going to see that heat building across northern and western Australia today, but it really is Christmas Day where we’ll see the heat building across central and south eastern parts of the country, with temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s, and even hotter as we move into Boxing Day.
“Temperatures in the high 40s are expected through parts of Queensland and low to mid 40s, extending all the way down into western New South Wales and even into northern parts of Victoria.”
He said windy conditions were exacerbating the danger. Strong winds across the south-east was fuelling fires already burning through central Victoria.
“Those winds really ramp up as we get into Wednesday night and Thursday morning, with that front moving through Adelaide sometime in the late morning on Boxing Day, and then moving into western parts of the state in the afternoon hours of Thursday.
“And it’s this change a concern that can cause very dangerous fire conditions in and around any ongoing fires.”
The Sydney to Hobart race fleet is also bracing for wild weather that could cause serious damage to the big-money yachts.
Tuesday’s race briefing forecast a fast start in north-easterly winds and beautiful Sydney sunshine for Boxing Day, which begins at 1pm local time.
But the 105 boats sailing 628NM to Hobart will find their fortunes change overnight as strong to gale force winds are expected from the south west in the always difficult Bass Strait.
There, the fleet could face a thunderstorm and the possibility of 40 knots - almost 75km/h - of wind.
The fast start and blustery conditions will make for an exciting tussle among the supermaxis, and the possibility of a time quicker than the current record: one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds set by Master Lock Comanche, then LDV Comanche, in 2017.
With Australian Associated Press
