Heatwaves in Australia are continuing as widespread temperatures above 40C swept across parts of the country, with some inland areas nearing 50C.
The national weather forecaster, the Bureau of Meteorology, issued low-intensity heatwave warnings for all five states, while local extreme heatwave alerts were in place for parts of Queensland.
In Australia, heatwaves usually range from 37C to 42C, the Queensland government said. However, temperatures are expected to exceed this.
"Widespread temperatures above 40C are expected across inland and eastern parts of Australia over the next few days, with some inland areas as hot as 49C," a Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson told AAP.
"The heat will spread out to the coast, with Sydney forecast to reach 35C on both Thursday and Friday, while some of the western suburbs may reach 39C or even 40C."
Queensland's Birdsville is forecasting 49C for Friday, only slightly cooler than the whopping 49.4C that hit the town on Thursday.
"It's absolutely a slap in the face," Birdsville Police Snr Const Adam Johnson told ABC Australia. "It takes your breath away the first few times that you breathe in and it just soaks into your body, even after being outside for just a minute or two.
"It's… like opening an oven door and standing in front of it."
He said the locals stay home during the hottest parts of the day.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the sweltering temperatures are coming from a vast, warm air mass that has been moving across Australia.
Thankfully, respite is on the way with cooler weather for almost all areas on the weekend.
Newshub.
