Overview

• Australia is experiencing an unusually humid start to summer, with heatwave warnings in place across multiple states including New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria.
• Severe thunderstorms are forecast for south-east Australia, with the greatest risks in central and western New South Wales, southern Queensland, and parts of Victoria and South Australia.
• Sydney is enduring muggy conditions with temperatures feeling up to 5 degrees higher due to high humidity, but cooler air is expected to bring relief starting Sunday.
• The storms, fueled by record-warm sea surface temperatures and tropical air masses, pose risks of flash flooding, large hail, and destructive winds, particularly in inland areas.
• Rainfall is expected to persist into next week, with some regions likely to see over 50mm of rain, further increasing the risk of flooding in already saturated areas.