In a sign of summer’s rapid approach, a heatwave is set to hit large parts of central and southern Queensland this weekend.

The mercury is expected to peak at up to five or 10 degrees above the November average, with a cool change not likely to arrive until the middle of next week.

Peter Markworth from the Bureau of Meteorology said there were would be “a few pleasant days” for the southeast before conditions took a turn.

“It’s quite a rapid increase [in temperature], particularly on Saturday,” he said.

“Those warmer conditions up around 33 degrees Celsius, 32C on Sunday and then subsequently Monday will keep those warmer temperatures up.”

“We’re expecting those warmer conditions to stay in place across most of southeast, southern [Queensland] and the central-east interior for a number of days.

“We should start to see a little bit of relief, particularly through the south-east, on Wednesday when we get a bit of a southerly surge and those temperatures dip down again.”

Thunderstorms are expected to roll across several regions on Friday as a trough moves over the state from the east.

Markworth said severe thunderstorms were also possible about the north-west interior on Thursday and in a broad stretch from the northwest into the southern interior.

In the north of the state, temperatures are expected to be up to five degrees above average from Sunday.

Cooler temperatures are also not expected there until next week, with a southerly change forecast to move through by Tuesday.

– ABC / Tim Swanston