Brisbane is forecast to reach 34C on Saturday, potentially marking the hottest September day in the city since 2019, as unseasonably warm conditions grip eastern Australia. Local fire bans have been issued for Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley.
Unseasonal heat across eastern states
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) warned of unseasonal heat in the low to mid-30s across north-eastern New South Wales and south-east Queensland. Sydney, which recently experienced record temperatures, was forecast to reach a milder 23C as the heat shifted north.
By late morning, Brisbane had recorded 31.6C, while the Ipswich suburb of Amberley peaked at 35.7C in the early afternoon.
Fire bans and temperature records
Queensland's fire department issued local fire bans for Ipswich and the Lockyer Valley as the state approached records for early September temperatures. Areas from Gladstone to the Gold Coast were expected to come a few degrees short of breaking the state's highest recorded temperatures for the start of spring.
The state experienced its third-warmest winter on record, with temperatures 1.8C above the long-term average.
Cool change and severe weather
BoM meteorologist Jonathan How said a cold front had swept across south-eastern Australia over the past 24 hours, bringing damaging winds, rain and storms, while parts of eastern NSW saw their warmest early spring day on record.
A dry cool change is expected to move up the east coast, bringing milder temperatures from Monday. Western Australia is set for more rain, while Tasmania and Victoria can expect showers.
Severe weather warnings were in place over the weekend as damaging winds fuelled hot conditions. In two separate incidents on Saturday, jumping castles were lifted by strong winds in NSW and Victoria. Two children were treated for head injuries in Banksia, Sydney's south, before being transported to hospital, and an infant with minor injuries was also hospitalised. In Mount Duneed, near Geelong, two children were hospitalised after their jumping castle was lifted into the air.
Temperatures are expected to drop in the coming days across both NSW and Queensland.
