Overview
Sydney might have enjoyed a somewhat mild-ish start to 2018, with only one 30-degree day on January 1 and temperatures staying in the mid-20s since; however a blast of hot, hot heat awaits come the weekend. Indeed, finding some frosty air-con or a shaded pool is recommended on Sunday, when the city is predicted to reach more than 40 degrees in some areas.
The Bureau of Meteorology may only expect the mercury to make it to 39 degrees in the CBD (we know, we know, there's no such thing as only 39 degrees) on Sunday after a maximum of 31 degrees on Saturday, but highs of 45 degrees are expected in Penrith, 44 degrees in Richmond, 43 degrees in Liverpool, Blacktown and Campbelltown, and 41 degrees at Sydney Olympic Park. The hot spell will see the city swelter through its first weekend of 2018, after experiencing its second warmest year on record in 2017.
As reported by Weatherzone, 2017 came second only to 2016, and only by 0.1 degree. The figures are based on the city's average temperature for the entire year, which was 19.5 degrees in last year and 19.6 degrees the year prior. It's Sydney's 25th consecutive warmer than average year based on mean temperature — and a year that featured a November heatwave, one of the hottest recorded September nights and one of its hottest winter days as well.
Thankfully, the current blast of scorching summer warmth will be short-lived. Monday will reach 33 degrees, while the rest of the week isn't forecast to exceed 30, with temperatures hovering between 24 to 29 degrees. Phew.
It was originally thought that Sydney might escape the toasty weekend temps, only hitting the low 30s, with the rest of southeastern Australia also set for a balmy few days as well. Melbourne will endure a 41-degree day on Saturday, its warmest day for two years, while Adelaide will reach 41 degrees as well, and Canberra will hit 36 and 38 degrees across both days. At the upper end of the east coast, Brisbanites get off somewhat lightly, with a comparatively bearable 31 and 32 degrees predicted for the weekend.
Via the ABC.