Temps to reach 45 for Christmas

The Bureau of Meteorology have released their seven day forecasts – and it’s great news for those who enjoy the heat. 

Windorah is set to win (or lose) the mercury race – with 46 degrees expect for Santa’s visit. 

The good news is most place can expect sunny days with very little chance of rain – the bad news is there might not be a summer storm at the end of the day to break the heat.  

Close behind Windorah in the race of the sweat are Quilpie and Birdsville, both expecting hot and sunny days with tops of 45 degrees for Christmas. 

Expecting 43 is Boulia, 42 for Julia Creek, Longreach, and Blackall, and 40 for Mt Isa and St George. 

Dipping below the 40 degrees will be Taroom, Roma, and Goondiwindi on 39, Clermont and Emerald on 38, and Charters Towers on 37.

Among the luckiest of the bunch seems to be Rockhampton and Monto who will reach a relatively cool 35 degrees, while Mareeba will be donning their jackets at a crisp 33 degrees. 

Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Sean Fitzgerald, Brisbane, said while a small relief will hit towns over Thursday and Friday, temperatures will be climbing again on Sunday just in time for Christmas. 

On Wednesday Birdsville got some welcome relief, with a 10 degree drop on Tuesday down to 35 degrees from 46, and even received 6.6mm of rain.

The good news continues, with some storms expected to head east over Thursday and Friday through the Maranoa and Warrego regions through to the Darling Downs.

Mr Fitzgerald said the Darling Downs and Granite Belt regions could expect some potentially heavy falls under those storms on Thursday and Friday this week. 

While the storms will bring slight temperature relief, Mr Fitzgerald said by Sunday the Channel Country will have warmed back up to 45 degrees, whereas the Central and North West, Maranoa and Warrego will be sitting in the low 40s for Christmas. 

“It's sort of hard to say - it's going to be relief, but still 35 degrees,” he said. 

BOM have been getting in on the Santa fun, and even captured this on their satellites!