Summer’s not over yet! Hot weather and heatwave warnings across Australia
Summer has technically ended for Australia, but the hot weather is here to stay for at least another week.
Much of Australia's south and south-east will feel the heat in the coming week, thanks to the “blocking high” wind on the Tasman Sea that is bringing funnel desert heat down.
South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania could expect to swelter through a hot weekend as the Bureau of Meteorology predicted severe heatwaves until Saturday, and for longer in some areas.
"Weather records could be broken over the next week," said Tom Saunders, meteorologist at Sky News Weather.
Melbourne is predicted to hit 37C on Friday, while Hobart could reach 37C on Saturday. Adelaide might fare worse, with the potential to hit 40C on Friday and Saturday, and 37C on Sunday.
The South Australian State Emergency Service has released an extreme heatwave emergency warning for Adelaide and the state, encouraging people to keep cool and stay hydrated throughout the period.
⚠ Extreme Heatwave Emergency Warning for #Adelaide & #SouthAus Take action to make sure you and your family stay well during this heat event https://t.co/L7fvDg2ZpT #BeathTheHeat #Heatwave pic.twitter.com/aFGUdVOv74
— SA SES (@SA_SES) 26 February 2019
Total Fire Bans have been placed on seven districts around South Australia that are at a "Severe" risk, including the Mount Lofty Ranges and the Lower South East.
A Total Fire Ban has also been placed on Victoria's south-west region for today, which is also at the "Severe" level of risk.
Canberra is expected to be in the 30s until Wednesday, while Penrith in New South Wales could get as hot as 39C next week. In the north, Darwin will hit 33C on Friday and Saturday.
Perth remains mostly temperate, with 23C forecasted for today and an expected return to the low-30s on Sunday. However, Kalgoorlie reached 45.3C yesterday, hitting a record high for a February day in 80 years. Emergency WA has enforced Total Fire Bans for 10 regions in the state's south-east.
How will the weather be in your city for the next week and how are you planning to stay cool? Let us know in the comments.