Mercury tipped to soar eight degrees above average as Queensland swelters
Queenslanders have been warned that temperatures are warming up across much of the state, with unseasonably hot days forecast for the remainder of the week.
Gold Coast tourism operators are optimistic the October long weekend will provide a bigger boom the last year's $110m haul. (Photo: ABC)
Maximum temperatures are tipped to be up to eight degrees warmer than average, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
“We’re expecting a warm to hot week … with a fire weather warning forecast for tomorrow through central and southeast inland,” meteorologist James Thompson said on Wednesday.
Ipswich is set to bake with a maximum temperature of 38C forecast on Thursday. Brisbane is expected to hit 33C and Rockhampton 37C.
Inland, Mount Isa is forecast to reach 42C, Longreach 41C and Emerald, Roma and Charters Towers 39C.
A fire weather warning is likely to be issued for parts of the Maranoa and Warrego, Central Highlands and Coalfields and Darling Downs districts, with local extreme fire danger ratings possible.
“We’re likely to see raised dust with hot, dry and gusty winds for western Queensland,” Thompson said.
Gusty thunderstorms bringing dry lightning are also possible for parts of the south if an expected weather change moves through the region.
But little or no rainfall is predicted, with temperatures set to remain above average on Friday.
