New Year's Eve weather: What the forecast looks like in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne
NSW, Queensland and Victoria smashed by storms over Christmas Meteorologists have released their forecasts for New Year's READ MORE: Storms and floods in Australia's east turn deadly
Millions of Aussies could be in for a wet New Year’s Eve following wild weather during Christmas.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast a 90 per cent chance of rain in Brisbane on December 31 and January 1 with storms possible in the afternoons that could bring up to 45mm of rain in total.
Sydneysiders can also expect a 60 per cent chance of rain on Sunday and Monday, which could dampen the Harbour City’s famous fireworks, though any showers are expected to be brief.
Showers are also possible but much less likely for Canberra and Darwin, with Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart looking set to enjoy clear skies.
Temperatures will be mild right across the eastern and southern coastlines with the mercury reaching highs between the mid-20s and mid-30s.
The central and northwestern parts of the country will bake, however, with temperatures expected to exceed 40C in many areas.
The Bureau’s Angus Hines said the most severe weather was in the east coast in the lead up to Christmas, but from Boxing Day onwards the weather system that is causing the storms is forecast to shift out over the Tasman Sea.
‘By and large, for the second half of this week, we’re expecting most of that activity to subside and move outward to the east,’ Mr Hines said.
New Years Day afternoon temperatures in Australia (pictured) look set to be pleasant along the coast but baking in the country’s central regions and north-west
Wedderburn in Victoria was under water over Christmas with flooding still remaining a concern for some parts of the state
One woman was rescued (pictured) from the fast flowing Werribee River in Buchan, Victoria after she fell in while trying to get her dog
NEW SOUTH WALES
New Year’s Eve in NSW looks to be mostly mild weather with maximums in the mid to high 20s along the coast and getting up into the low 30s in the western part of the state.
The capital could be in for overcast conditions and some showers on New Year’s Eve, however, that could dampen the iconic Sydney Harbour fireworks display.
Any rain is expected to be brief with the weather fining up in the afternoon on January 1 so Sydneysiders should be able to venture out to parks and the beach.
Sydney’s famous fireworks display could be dampened by some showers though they are expected to be brief with the same forecast for New Year’s Day
QUEENSLAND
The northern part of Queensland which has been battered this month by Cyclone Jasper followed by a mild heatwave looks set for a calmer New Year’s.
The temperature in Cairns will reach 34C on December 31 and January 1 with a few clouds but they are unlikely to bring any rain.
In Brisbane it looks like it could be a wet one with showers and even afternoon storms forecast for Saturday through to Monday.
The mercury should hover around 30C maximums.
The Christmas storms on the Gold Coast left thousands of homes without electricity and shredded this crane at Burleigh Heads, though New Year’s should be calmer with some rain
VICTORIA
In Melbourne it’s looking like good outdoor weather with mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the low 20s on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.
Shepparton further north, which saw heavy rain over Christmas, is in for a fine and sunny weekend with highs in the mid 20s warming up to the low 30s on Monday.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Perth is in for a sparkling New Year with clear skies and temperatures hitting a maximum of 31C over both days.
The northern parts of the state, however, are in for a scorcher with temperatures exceeding 40C in many inland communities on New Year’s Day.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Adelaide will see cloudy days through the week but it should fine up by the weekend with temperatures in the high 20s for the public holiday.
The northern parts of the state will see significantly higher temperatures, pushing 40C in some parts.
For most capital cities it looks to be ideal weather on New Year’s Day to go the the beach or to a park for a picnic (pictured is Bondi on Christmas). Those in Sydney and Brisbane should bring an umbrella on New Year’s.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Alice Springs is set to bake over this week and into the weekend with temperatures over 40C every day. Friday and Saturday will be the hottest with the mercury soaring to 44C.
Darwin will be slightly cooler at maximums of 35C over the weekend. It should also be fine weather for festivities with monsoon rains clearing up during the week.
TASMANIA
Hobart is in for a cloudy week which will stretch over into the weekend.
There should be no rain but temperatures will be cool reaching minimums of a chilly 9C and a maximum of 23C.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Canberra should see fine weather in the later half of the week as showers ease.
The weekend looks to be sunny with pleasant temperatures in the mid 20s.
CHRISTMAS STORMS
The conditions will be less severe than the heavy rains, damaging winds and flash flooding that hit large swathes of Victoria, Queensland and NSW over the last week.
‘In Queensland there was particularly heavy rainfall,’ Mr Hines said.
‘There was up to 80mm with a few of those storms and that fell in a very quick period. All that rain came down at once.’
Seven have already been killed in the wild weather hammering the Australian east coast, with five dead in Queensland including a nine-year-old girl and two more in Victoria, with more storms heading for NSW.
In NSW, the weather bureau issued a warning for people in the Northern Rivers, metropolitan, Illawarra and south coast regions.
Parts of the mid-North Coast, Hunter, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains, Northern Tablelands and ACT were issued with a warning.
Lismore, Grafton, Sydney, Wollongong, Nowra, Batemans Bay and Goulburn are expected to be the main places affected.
But then the conditions are expected to improve as the dangerous weather moves offshore.