With Christmas Day just a week away, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has released its official forecast, pointing to mixed weather conditions across Australia.
Some Australians may need to take celebrations indoors, as several states are expected to experience showers along with cool to mild temperatures. According to the BoM, Christmas Day will bring varied conditions nationwide, with cooler weather across much of the south-east, a hot day forecast for Perth, and hot, stormy conditions across large parts of the Northern Territory.
Victoria and South Australia are expected to remain largely dry, while showers are forecast for western and northern Tasmania. There is also a risk of showers along the eastern coast of New South Wales due to onshore winds and partly cloudy conditions, making beach outings less ideal. Elsewhere, conditions are expected to be mostly dry and sunny, with above-average temperatures forecast for north-east NSW and southern Queensland.
In Queensland, large areas including the south-east and tropical north are likely to see showers and storms. Brisbane is forecast to experience one or two showers, with a top of 32°C and overnight lows around 23°C. Across eastern, central and northern Queensland, showers and storms are possible, with temperatures ranging from the low 30s near the coast to the high 30s inland.
New South Wales is expected to have a generally dry and mostly sunny day, although showers remain possible along the east coast. Sydney may see a shower or two, with a maximum of 28°C and a minimum of 19°C. Temperatures across the state will be close to the December average, ranging from the low to mid-20s in the south to the high 20s along the north coast, and low 30s inland.
The Australian Capital Territory is forecast to enjoy a mostly sunny Christmas Day, with Canberra reaching a high of 28°C. However, cooler evening temperatures are expected, dropping to around 10°C overnight.
Victoria is set for a cool to mild day, with a slight chance of a light morning shower along exposed southern coasts, clearing by the afternoon. Maximum temperatures will be well below average, with highs in the high teens to low 20s in the south. Melbourne is expected to reach just 19°C, falling to 13°C overnight, while the north of the state will be dry and sunny.
In Tasmania, gusty westerly winds will bring showers to western and southern regions. Daytime temperatures will generally be 2 to 6 degrees below the December average, sitting in the mid-teens in the west and south, but rising to around 20°C in the northeast. Hobart is forecast to be cloudy with a top of 17°C and an overnight low of 9°C.
South Australia is expected to see a dry and mostly sunny day, with clearing cloud in Adelaide and a maximum of 26°C. While eastern coastal areas will experience temperatures in the low to mid-20s, the far south-east will be cooler, with highs only in the high teens. Inland areas, however, could see temperatures climbing into the high 30s.
Western Australia is forecast to have a dry and warm-to-hot Christmas Day across much of the state. Daytime temperatures will range from the mid to high 30s, reaching the low 40s away from the coast in central and northern areas. Perth is expected to experience extreme heat, with a maximum of 39°C and a warm overnight low of 25°C. Tropical showers and storms are also forecast for the Kimberley region.
In the Northern Territory, cloudy conditions with showers and storms are forecast across much of the central and northern regions. Darwin is expected to see showers or possible storms, with a top of 32°C and overnight lows of around 25°C. Conditions in the far south of the territory are forecast to remain dry and mostly sunny.
Reported with the Bureau of Meteorology.
