Rain fell and lightning flashed across Sydney tonight as a storm rolled in following intense heat through the day.
Upwards of 20mm fell on some parts of Sydney, with the slight reprieve coming after it reached 38°C in the western suburbs on Saturday – approaching potentially record-breaking temperatures.
And there’s more on the way, with Sydney forecast for a top of 27 degrees on Sunday, as the weather tracks five to 10 degrees above daytime averages for February.
Some Sydney rail lines were shut down, along with the NorthConnex tunnel.
Fires meanwhile broke out in Victoria as the state sweltered, with warnings current for Northwood, Moornapa, Toolome, Woolenook, Glenmore, Ingliston, and Rowsley.
South Australian firefighters have brought a blaze at Port Lincoln under control, but tomorrow Adelaide is set for a top of 31°C.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said the heatwave was continuing to impact parts of the east, including New South Wales and southern Queensland.
“There is still a heatwave warning current for SA, NSW and Victoria,” Bradbury told Weekend Today.
Heatwave conditions eased in Victoria as the cool change sets in.
Melbourne is set for a top of 27°C degrees on Sunday.
“Over the west of the country we have broad areas of severe intensity heatwave conditions impacting Western Australia, this has been ongoing for a number of days and is likely to continue for a number of days to come,” Bradbury said.
Fire weather warnings are in place for the NSW Southern Ranges as well as parts of central Australia including the Lasseter and Alice Springs districts.
“Summer is when we have our most intense heat and most intense storms and potentially most significant rainfall systems,” she said.
“Australia is a country of extremes and this summer is really demonstrating that.”
On Sunday, Sydney is forecast to be 27°C, Melbourne 27°C, Brisbane 31°C, Perth 33°C, Adelaide 31°C, Hobart 28°C, Canberra 31°C and Darwin 33°C.