Heatwave set to hit Queensland, NSW, South Australia and other parts of Australia as mercury hits 16C above average

Parts of Australia are expected to swelter this week as heatwave conditions sweep across the nation.

The Bureau of Meteorology is predicting temperatures to reach up to 16C above average for this time of year, as central parts of the country as well as Queensland and parts of NSW are plunged into a week of high temperatures.

“We’ve already seen the heat really starting to build over the weekend,” senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said.

“To put that into perspective, we’re seeing the temperatures sort of sitting in the high 30C at least, if not the low 40C.”

Over the next couple of days, heat will continue to rise across sort of central and eastern parts of the country, pushing forward to the East Coast by around mid-week, with high fire dangers and storms also on the forecast.