Christmas across much of Australia will be cooler than usual, as a recent heatwave gives way to rain and thunderstorms.
Sydney, which has been experiencing persistent rain since Wednesday, will continue to see showers, humidity, and cloudy skies throughout the holiday season.
Temperatures are expected to hover around 27°C to 28°C for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Melbourne will be cooler, with temperatures in the low 20s and a chance of showers and thunderstorms.
In Brisbane, temperatures are predicted to reach the low 30s during Christmas, with a high of 33°C and a possibility of showers on Christmas Day.
Further south, Hobart will experience cooler weather, around 19°C to 20°C. Adelaide and southern South Australia will see temperatures in the low 20s, while northern parts of the state are expected to be hotter.
Sydney shows a sunny Christmas with temperatures in the low to mid-30s.Dean Narramore, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, explained that eastern Australia and adjacent inland areas will likely face showers and afternoon storms over the next week.
This weather shift, a break from the recent intense heat, is due to a stationary trough over eastern inland Australia and a positive southern annular mode (SAM), which moves high-pressure systems south of Tasmania. The positive SAM leads to warm easterly winds bringing moisture and cloud.
Narramore indicated that this pattern of daily afternoon showers will persist through Christmas, with a shift to drier, hotter conditions expected by mid-next week.
For those seeking a sunny, warm Christmas, Perth offers temperatures in the low to mid-30s and plenty of sunshine.
In the Top End, Darwin will experience hot conditions with temperatures around 35°C, while Alice Springs and other southern areas in the Northern Territory will see temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s.
El Niño continues to influence drier and hotter summer conditions for eastern Australia.