Brisbane expected to swelter under hottest September day in years as east coast faces unseasonably warm weather

Brisbane is expected to experience its hottest September day in years, with temperatures soaring to an anticipated 34C, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. The city has been issuing early spring fire bans for regions such as Ipswich and Lockyer Valley due to the unseasonably warm weather. In contrast, Sydney has seen a slight reprieve from the heat, with a top forecast of 23C as the conditions shift northwards.

Brisbane's current temperature stands at 31.6C, while Ipswich's Amberley suburb recorded a peak of 35.7C during the early afternoon. The heat is forecast to persist until the evening, around 6 or 7 pm, when a south-easterly change is expected to bring some respite. Fire bans have been issued for areas stretching from Gladstone to the Gold Coast, as the state nears breaking records for the highest temperatures seen in early September.

Queensland had its third-warmest winter on record, with temperatures 1.8C above the long-term average. The weather front has been accompanied by damaging winds, rain, and storms, with a cold front sweeping across south-eastern Australia. South-east Queensland's fire bans come a day after a similar ban was issued for the greater Sydney region, where temperatures reached 33C on Saturday, matching the midsummer average of 26.4C.

Severe weather warnings are in place for the region, leading to incidents where jumping castles were lifted by strong winds, causing injuries to children in Sydney and Melbourne.