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Queensland weather: South-east residents swelter as temperature records tumble

People beat the heat at Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast on Sunday morning. - ABC

Hot weather records tumbled across parts of south-east Queensland over the weekend as the mercury rose in the state's heatwave.

Brisbane reached 37.6C, Ipswich 43C, and the Gold and Sunshine coasts 36C.

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecaster Dean Narramore said by lunchtime on Sunday nine records had been broken across the state.

Toowoomba on the Darling Downs hit 40.8C for the first time about 1:30pm, making it the hottest day on record.



"We've seen a number of records fall and they should continue to fall this afternoon," he said.

"Many of them have occurred in the Darling Downs region where we've seen Dalby, Warwick, Oakey, Toowoomba ... where we've seen records fall."

Mr Narramore said temperatures should drop by 5C to 8C in the south on Monday.

"Good news â?? we should see temperatures start cooling at least in very southern parts of the state tomorrow," he said on Sunday.

"We should see a southerly change move into south-east Queensland.

"Out west we should see a south-westerly change move in tonight, so we should see temperatures cool down there."



Queenslanders suffered through temperatures at least 10C above average on Saturday, as the heatwave set in for the weekend.

Thargomindah in the south-west was the hottest place at 46.3C, but Birdsville in far south-west Queensland was not far behind on 45.9C.

On Saturday, a police officer at Birdsville fried an egg on his vehicle.

The fire risk in south-east Queensland was rated as very high on Sunday.

All beaches on the Gold Coast were open on Sunday.



Cancel outdoor activities: police

Queensland police on Sunday posted a warning on Facebook asking people to cancel their outdoor adventure activities like bushwalking and mountain climbing.

"You're putting us, firies and the SES at risk if we have to rescue you in these extreme condition," it said.



The Rural Fire Service urged people to be wary of an increased fire risk.

Assistant Commissioner Tom Dawson said extreme care was needed for activities like barbecues.

"If people do not control their use of fire on the land in the south-east corner of Queensland, today is one of those potential days â?? it will run and escape," he said.

He said even the smallest spark from angle grinders or cigarette butts could start a blaze.

Sunday morning there were nine fires burning around the state, but Mr Dawson said none posed a threat to people or properties.


- ABC

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