Days after a low intensity heatwave passed through inland south east Australia, a much stronger heatwave is forecast to develop over southern Australia in coming days. This heatwave appears to be much stronger than the first one and forecasts are suggesting that large swathes of the inland regions of New South Wales and Victoria are expected to experience a number of days above 38C.
As with most heatwaves, the level of heat being forecast is not expected to reach the east coast although some of this heat is expected to spill into Western Sydney during the latter part of the event.
Forecast temperatures for this period include:-
Tibooburra (NW NSW) - Thu 22/1 - 39C, Fri 22/1 - 41C, Sat 23/1 - 42C, Sun 24/1 - 41C, Mon 25/1 - 42C.
Broken Hill (Western NSW) - Thu 22/1 - 36C, Fri 22/1 - 39C, Sat 23/1 - 41C, Sun 24/1 - 41C, Mon 25/1 - 40C.
Griffith (Riverina NSW) - Thu 22/1 - 37C, Fri 22/1 - 39C, Sat 23/1 - 41C, Sun 24/1 - 43C, Mon 25/1 - 43C.
Albury (SW Slopes NSW) - Thu 22/1 - 35C, Fri 22/1 - 38C, Sat 23/1 - 40C, Sun 24/1 - 42C, Mon 25/1 - 43C.
Dubbo (Central West NSW) - Sat 23/1 - 36, Sun 24/1 - 38C, Mon 25/1 - 38C.
Mildura (NW Victoria) - Thu 22/1 - 37C, Fri 22/1 - 39C, Sat 23/1 - 41C, Sun 24/1 - 45C, Mon 25/1 - 40C.
It appears that Melbourne will experience 1 day where the maximum daytime temperature may reach 38C being the Sunday 24/1/2021 however, southern Victoria is expected to escape the worst of it.
This heat should approach Sydney’s west with 41C forecast for Penrith for the 24 and 25 January 2021 but further east it will be cooler with Sydney city expected to escape the worst of it due to expected sea breezes and north east winds prevailing.
The attached plots from the BSCH are showing the potential maximum temperatures for 4 pm for Friday, Saturday and Sunday but interestingly, the burst of heat may be subdued across Central Australia due to cloud and storm activity, especially during Saturday and Sunday.