Millions of Aussies set for weekend scorcher

Millions of Australians are bracing for a hot and stormy weekend, with heatwave warnings in place across Queensland, NSW and the rugged Top End.

Swathes of outback Queensland, from the Gulf Country to northern NSW, are being warned by the Bureau of Meteorology to expect severe heatwave conditions across the weekend.

Areas of the state’s central and Gulf Country regions are forecast to be the worst affected, with Mount Isa tipped to reach a blistering 43C – staying above 40C well into next week.

Further south, Longreach is forecast to hit a sweltering 44C on Saturday, while across the border Grafton, on the NSW Northern Rivers, is forecast to hit 31C amid storms.

Storms are forecast to build over the weekend and into next week in South East Queensland and northern NSW, with Byron Bay forecast for to receive up to 25mm on Monday.

A warning for severe heatwave conditions is also in place over the weekend in the Northern Territory and Western Australia, from the Kimberley, across Darwin and to the border.

It comes as many of the state capitals are tipped to swelter through a balmy weekend, with Sydney forecast to hit 30C – 5C hotter than this time last year – before cooling off.

The Harbour City is set to reach a high of 26C over the weekend amid forecasts of possible showers of less than 1mm, while Brisbane residents bracing for up to 5mm on Saturday.

Possible storms are being forecast for Brisbane across Friday, the weekend, and into next week, though the mercury is also expected to reach as high as 32C on Saturday.

Hundreds of residents of the border town of Dirranbandi were forced to flee their homes after two fast-moving grass fires threatened homes and rural properties.

The blazes were largely contained by Wednesday by the Queensland Fire Department and residents advised they could return, though the fires were still at an advice level on Friday.

Elsewhere, Melbourne is tipped to reach just 21C over the weekend before rising slightly next week. Next door, Adelaide is expected to reach temperatures as high as 26C as clouds set in.

The nation’s capital, Canberra, is forecast for a maximum of 27C over the weekend, Perth 26C after storms on Friday, Hobart 19C and sunny, and Darwin a steady 35C.