Severe Heatwave Engulfs Southeastern Australia With Record Temperatures Forecast
Victoria, South Australia, and New South Wales brace for extreme heat as health and fire risks escalate while northern Queensland faces major flooding.
- The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe heatwave warnings for Victoria, South Australia, and parts of New South Wales, with temperatures reaching up to 42°C and lingering into next week.
- Health authorities are urging precautions to prevent heat-related illnesses, particularly for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, infants, and those with pre-existing conditions.
- Fire crews in Victoria are working to contain bushfires in the Grampians region as elevated fire risks and potential dry lightning storms threaten further outbreaks.
- Northern Queensland is preparing for potentially life-threatening flash flooding as a tropical low is expected to bring up to 500mm of rain in some areas over the weekend.
- The prolonged heatwave is driven by a late monsoon and stalled weather systems, with southeastern Australia seeing temperatures up to 14°C above the February average.
Australian Broadcasting Corporation 
9News 
The Sydney Morning Herald 