An Australia Day blast of heat will hit large parts of central and eastern Australia before a cool change drops temperatures by up to 15 degrees for the weekend.
Heatwave conditions are set to continue before a southerly change brings cooler air and relief from the scorching temperatures by Saturday.
Sydney will hit a maximum of 38C on Friday while some inland areas are set to nudge 50C, including the Queensland tourist town of Birdsville which hit 49.4C on Thursday.
A southerly change beginning on Friday afternoon will see temperatures in many parts of the country drop by up to 10 to 15 degrees.
It was a scorching 49.4C in the Queensland tourist town of Birdsville yesterday with similar temperatures expected on Australia Day
Australians are out celebrating the country’s national day despite a heatwave sending temperatures above 40C in many areas
The heat hasn’t stopped those in Queensland celebrating with many heading to parks for the traditional BBQ
But before the cool change hits, Sydney is set to swelter with some areas climbing to 40C by lunchtime.
As the heat continues to move further east, the NSW coast is set to get a little warmer still with Newcastle and Taree both forecast for 41C while Grafton and Gosford will hit 40C.
Temperatures in towns across the Hunter including Cessnock, Scone and Singleton will also rise by 1-2C on Thursday’s temperatures with Singleton expecting a peak of 43C and Scone 41C.
The lower and upper west of the state will again bear the brunt of the heat with Bourke to hit 44C and Moree 42C.
Parts of the state could see a thunderstorm roll through in the afternoon and evening.
Sydneysiders are in for a hot day Australia Day and the beaches were packed early on Friday morning (pictured is Bondi)
Sydney should see good beach weather for the entire public holiday long weekend
Bondi was packed on Friday morning with many escaping the heat in the water
Inland areas of Southern Australia’s north and southwest Queensland are also set to be warm, but markedly less so than Thursday where temperatures sat in the mid to high 40s.
South Australia will be noticeably cooler with temperatures dropping about 10C and Adelaide forecasting a 24C maximum.
Heatwave conditions for parts of Queensland’s west and interior are set to continue, though most regions will experience a welcome drop in temperature.
Brisbane is forecast to peak at 33C and the Gold Coast 35C.
Cooler air spreading across the southern and eastern states will see temperatures noticeably drop by Friday late afternoon.
The forecast change will bring cooler weather for almost all areas on the weekend.
Birdsville in Outback Queensland hit temperatures of nearly 50C leading up to Australia Day
In Sydney the Muggera dancers performed a smoking and cleansing at the WugulOra Morning Ceremony at Barangaroo Reserve with NSW Premier Chris Minns speaking at the event
‘We haven’t seen these temperatures in several years,’ senior meteorologist Gabrielle Woodhouse told AAP.
‘Overnight minimum temperatures are also set to be really warm so there will be little respite.’
Tamworth hit 37C on Thursday afternoon ahead of the busiest two days of the Country Music Festival, which brings tens of thousands of visitors to the region.
One of the festival’s landmark live venues, The Longyard Hotel, was packed with revellers cooling off with a drink or two on the verandah.
Wide-brimmed cowboy hats were being put to good use under the blazing sun.
At the City Lights holiday park on the edge of town, campers cooled off with showers or under the shade of tarps and eucalyptus trees.
Jo O’Donoghue and her husband travelled to the festival from Corowa on the NSW-Victorian border.
The couple have been escaping the heat in their air-conditioned caravan.
‘I would’ve liked to get out and see more but it’s just so damn hot,’ Mrs O’Donoghue told AAP.
‘I don’t know how the performers do it.’
