Is summer stepping up on the Sunshine Coast?
The region experienced mostly unseasonal weather during December and January, with few storms, significantly less rainfall than usual and lower maximum temperatures and relative humidity.
The main weather stations all received lower rainfall for the two months, including Maroochydore (193mm instead of about 300mm), Tewantin (158mm instead of about 280mm) and Nambour (231mm instead of about 400mm).
There were also slightly lower recordings of mean maximum temperature and humidity.
⚠️🌡️ #Heatwave Warning issued for the east coast of #QLD. Low intensity heatwave conditions are forecast for the east coast and parts of #CentralHighlands and #DarlingDowns. Locally severe conditions for #Brisbane and inland of #SunshineCoast. Details: https://t.co/YvAaMllrCs pic.twitter.com/KFn6DMhder
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) January 31, 2023
“It was a bit of a funny start to summer, very interesting,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Brooke Pagel said.
But the normal order of service appears to be returning.
The temperature reached 32.7 at Maroochydore on Tuesday, while it was 34.1 at Nambour and 33.8 at Tewantin. The humidity and dew point were also high, to get a string of warm days underway.
The BOM expected showers, possible thunderstorms and maximum temperatures of 31 to 34 degrees Celsius at Maroochydore and Tewantin and 31 to 35 at Nambour, with northerly winds at times.
“We will have some showery days ahead,” Ms Pagel said.
“And we are expecting temperatures to be above average, no records broken, but we do have warm conditions on the east coast.”
There should be heatwave conditions on the Sunshine Coast, particularly from Thursday to Saturday.
The region has essentially been in a low intensity heatwave for a few days already but it could ramp up to become severe during the next few days.
In heatwave conditions, people are urged to drink water regularly, keep out of the heat as much as possible, stay as cool as possible, look after animals and care for children. See Heatwave for more.
Much of South-East Queensland was set to experience hot conditions during the next few days, with extreme high fire dangers for the Darling Downs and Granite Belt.
“The sea breeze will keep it down on the Sunshine Coast but it will still be hot,” Ms Pagel said.
The temperature could then drop early next week.
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