Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane weather: Australia records its second hottest year on record – with a scorching heatwave to blast the country

Australia sweltered through its second-hottest year in 2024 since reliable records began in 1910 – and the first week of 2025 isn’t looking any cooler.

Australia’s mean temperature for 2024 was 1.46C above the average from 1961-1990, marking the 24th consecutive year the country has failed to record a below-average mean temp.

Last year was only second behind 2019 as the hottest since records began when temperatures were 1.51C above average.

‘What makes 2024 exceptional is that, unlike 2019, there was quite a lot of rain in Australia, with 2024 ranking as the country’s wettest year since 2011 and its eighth wettest year in records dating back to 1900,’ Weatherzone’s Ben Domensino said.

‘Historically, Australia’s warmest years have coincided with periods of low rainfall and drought. While some parts of southern and western Australia did see lacklustre rainfall in 2024, most of the country was abnormally wet.’

The highest temperature, 49.9C was recorded at Carnarvon Airport on February 18 – equal to the eighth highest temperature ever observed in Australia.

The country’s lowest temperature was in Liawenee, Tasmania, on July 4 at -13.5C while the mainland’s coolest recording was -11.1C at Thredbo on July 3. 

Tully in north Queensland took the prize for the biggest rainfall, recording 488mm during the 24 hours up until 9am on February 24. 

While many Aussies were banking on a cooler 2025, a heatwave is set to bring last year’s hot temperatures into the new year. 

The heatwave is set to affect large parts of the country with some areas set to cop temperatures 12C higher than average.

Severe to low intensity heatwave conditions are forecast through parts of the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, northwestern parts of the Northern Territory, parts of the South Interior in Western Australia, and parts of western South Australia, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Low intensity heatwave conditions through parts of the ACT and central, northwestern and southern New South Wales, parts of northern and southwestern Queensland, parts of the Top End, much of eastern WA as well as parts of the Kimberley, the Pilbara and northwestern WA, parts of the Yorke Peninsula, the Eyre Peninsula and Kangaroo Island and eastern and southern SA, parts of eastern and central Victoria, and isolated pockets across Tasmania. 

Perth has already seen scorching conditions with 38C recorded on New Year’s Day.

It was the city’s hottest start to the year since 1997, where temperatures cracked 42C. 

Heatwave conditions are expected to worsen in Australia’s east as hot and dry air shifts across SA and Victoria over the weekend before reaching NSW on Sunday and Monday.

Sydney

Friday: Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower in the morning and early afternoon. Light winds becoming east to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the middle of the day then becoming light in the late evening. Min 20. Max 26.

Saturday: Sunny morning. The chance of a thunderstorm in the outer west in the afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. Min 20. Max 29.

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower in the west, near zero chance elsewhere. The chance of a thunderstorm in the west in the afternoon and evening. Winds north to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending east to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. Min 21. Max 32.

Melbourne

Friday: Sunny. Winds southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the late evening. Min 12. Max 29.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Winds north to northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h tending west to northwesterly during the afternoon then tending southeast to southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Min 17. Max 38.

Sunday: Cloudy. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm about the nearby hills in the afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming north to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning. Min 21. Max 34.

Brisbane

Friday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming southeasterly 20 to 30 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the late evening. Min 21. Max 29.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming east to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Min 21. Max 29.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. Min 21. Max 29.

Perth

Friday: Cloudy morning, clearing to a sunny afternoon. Winds south to southwesterly 20 to 30 km/h. Min 17. Max 28.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Winds south to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h tending south to southwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon then tending south to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Min 17. Max 28.

Sunday: Sunny. Winds east to southeasterly 15 to 25 km/h tending southeast to southwesterly during the afternoon then becoming light during the evening. Min 16. Max 31.

Adelaide

Friday: Sunny. Winds northeast to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h tending northwest to southwesterly in the middle of the day then becoming light in the evening. Min 15. Max 35.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Winds northwest to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h tending west to northwesterly during the day then shifting east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the evening. Min 21. Max 36.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower, most likely in the evening. Winds easterly 15 to 20 km/h shifting westerly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning then tending southwesterly 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon. Min 23. Max 33.

Hobart

Friday: Mostly sunny. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the early afternoon then becoming light in the late evening. Min 9. Max 23.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Winds northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h shifting south to southeasterly during the day then becoming light during the evening. Min 13. Max 29.

Sunday: Cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Light winds becoming southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the evening. Min 16. Max 21.

Canberra

Friday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. Winds southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light before dawn then becoming northeast to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the evening. Min 10. Max 30.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Slight chance of a shower. The chance of a thunderstorm in the morning and afternoon. Light winds becoming west to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. Min 13. Max 34.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming west to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the afternoon. Min 16. Max 35.

Darwin

Friday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the late morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds. Min 26. Max 35.

Saturday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds. Min 25. Max 33.

Sunday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon. The chance of a thunderstorm. Light winds. Min 25. Max 33.