SYDNEY -- A major heat wave is on the weekend horizon in Australia, with forecasters predicting on Thursday that temperatures might reach a sweltering 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday in some parts of the nation -- a record for the month of September.
The extreme heat conditions are expected to be caused by a high pressure system that has been building on the east coast of Australia, which will likely see weather conditions normally associated with the hot summer days in the country.
The Bureau of Meteorology is currently predicting temperatures will soar above historical averages during spring, directly on the heels of the driest ever winter in Australia's easternmost states -- New South Wales and Queensland.
Cities on the outskirts of Sydney are expected to reach highs of 33 degrees Celsius on the weekend, while in Brisbane, suburban cities are pegged to reach highs of 37 degrees Celsius.
Weather service Higgins Storm Chasing said that there will be "extreme heat during the weekend", and added that in terms of the overall weather conditions "it's looking ugly".
But, the worst hit will likely be the town of Birdsville in the Queensland outback, which meteorologists predict may reach 42 degrees Celsius on Saturday, a full 13.9 degrees above the average it experiences during the month of September.
With the extreme weather conditions at hand, authorities are also warning of increased risk of bushfires over the weekend, as temperatures are set to soar. (Xinhua)
