Half of Australia to be sizzled in heatwave

Half of Australia is set to be sweltering through scorching temperatures this week, as the Bureau of Meteorology issues a three-day heatwave warning from Wednesday onwards, Report informs via Australian media.

The Bureau has warned Australians across the country — from Broome in Western Australia’s northwest, to North Queensland and central NSW — to brace for severe heatwave conditions this week.

Forecast temperatures across Australia are set to reach the high-30s – some as high as mid-40s – this week as a heatwave bears down.

Some parts of central Australia have already got a taste of the sizzling conditions, with Tarcoola, Roxby Downs and Woomera in outback South Australia hitting 45C on Tuesday.

Sky Weather meteorologist Rob Sharpe said there was “proper heat” hitting the country, particularly over Western Australia, central Australia, far-west Queensland and NSW.

“We could even see 47 degrees on Thursday or Friday in parts of South Australia,” he said.

But senior meteorologist at the bureau, Dean Narramore, told the ABC that was “just a taste” of the heat to come, particularly for inland areas, this week.

He said despite “not many” temperature records being broken, the first hit of over-40 degree days “is always a shock to the system”.

The most extreme temperatures, he added, would be through inland South Australia as well as western and central NSW – likely “12 to 14 degrees above average”.