Parts of Australia’s east coast are in for a wet long weekend, with storms and rain forecast for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Sydneysiders can expect brief storms on Friday, but weather “should remain fairly dry” for morning Anzac services, with partly cloudy skies and potential fog in the west of the city, Dean Narramore, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said on Thursday.
Humid conditions and above-average warm temperatures between 17 and 25 degrees may cause rain and storms later in the day.
-
Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter
Rain is expected in Sydney on Saturday and Sunday, with a high of 25 degrees forecast on both days. The wet weather is predicted to linger into next week.
Showers and thunderstorms will develop over inland New South Wales from Anzac Day and extend east over the weekend. Widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms are forecast to persist along the northern coast into the weekend.
The New South Wales State Emergency Service issued a warning on Thursday urging travellers to remain vigilant. A spokesperson said the service had already responded to unsettled weather conditions this week after heavy rain and thunderstorms battered the state’s coast and adjacent ranges.
This week’s heavy downpour has moved north to the Queensland border, with showers expected to hit south-east Queensland and northern NSW coasts on Friday.
Brisbane has a high chance of showers and possible thunderstorms on Friday, with temperatures expected between 18 and 26 degrees.
The rain is forecast to continue on Saturday, with a high of 27 degrees. The wet weather is expected to ease up, becoming partly cloudy on Sunday, with a high of 29.
Melburnians can expect a damp Anzac day, with intermittent showers and potential storms from the early morning onwards.
Despite that, Melbourne is predicted to have temperatures between 17 and 23 degrees on Friday, about 5 degrees warmer than average for this time of year. Showers are expected for the rest of the weekend.
after newsletter promotion
Canberra is predicted to have fine and dry weather on Friday. The nation’s capital is forecast to have a low of 8 degrees first thing, meaning people may be in store for chilly dawn services, although it should thaw out later in the day. There is an increased chance of showers over the weekend, with highs of 22 on Saturday and 20 on Sunday.
Adelaide should have similarly pleasant weather, with some clouds, a 30% chance of showers and above average temperatures on Friday. The rest of the weekend will remain partly cloudy, with a slight chance of showers.
“We’ve got a bit of everything around the country,” Narramore said.
Perth will have clear and sunny skies, but the Western Australian capital is in for its coldest day of the year so far on Friday, with a minimum of 9 degrees and top of 22.
Narramore said this would mean a “pretty chilly dawn service”, though it would be nice and dry, which should remain the case on Saturday and Sunday.
Up north, Darwin has a slight chance of showers in the afternoon and evening on Friday but should remain dry for morning services, with temperatures ranging between 24 and 33 degrees. There is a chance of showers over the weekend, with highs of 32 on Saturday and 31 on Sunday.
Hobart is expected to have temperatures between 14 and 21 degrees on Friday. Tasmania could see a few showers “here and there” but it will remain mostly dry for dawn services, with rainfall later in the day, according to the bureau. The weather will dip to cooler temperatures over the weekend, with a moderate chance of showers and a high of 18 degrees forecast for Saturday and Sunday.
He recommended Australians planning their long weekend visit bom.gov.au, the BoM weather app, or the bureau’s social media for the most up-to-date information.
“Make sure you check the radar before you head out to see if you’ll need a brolly,” said Narramore.
