Unseasonably warm weather and damaging winds will sweep across Australia's southern states during the next three days ahead one of the strongest cold fronts so far this year. The front is crossing southern WA today and will progress eastwards towards the Tasman Sea between now and Sunday. The system will be preceded by strong to gale force northwesterly winds and unusually warm weather - potentially record breaking - for this time of year. Some areas are likely to see their strongest winds so far this year and temperatures will climb more than 10 degrees above average for July during the next three days. The front has already produced damaging winds in southern WA during the past 24 hours. On Thursday, Busselton Jetty (98km/h), Manjimup (85km/h) and Margaret River (76km/h) all registered their strongest wind gusts in nine months. Cape Leeuwin clocked gusts of 107km/h yesterday evening and 109km/h this morning. Winds are easing in southern WA today as the front moves further east. On Saturday, warm northwesterly winds will strengthen over SA, western NSW, Victoria and Tasmania, with gusts of 80-90km/h possible in each state. Wind gusts above 100km/h are a good chance in coastal and elevated areas of Victoria tomorrow, including parts of Melbourne. Stronger gusts exceeding 120km/h likely on the mainland alps. Wind will pick up over NSW and southern QLD on Sunday as the front moves east, although damaging winds are less less likely in these states. The air ahead of the front will be warm enough to challenge maximum temperature records for this time of year in multiple states. Temperatures are likely to climb 8-13 degrees above average across central Australia and southern parts of WA, SA, Victoria, NSW and Queensland between now and Sunday. The warm air and strong wind during the next 72 hours, combined with below-average rainfall in recent weeks, is likely to cause an elevated risk of out-of-season bushfires in the nation's south and southeast. A fire weather warning has been issued in WA's Eucla district today. Outback areas will also be prone to dust storms as the strong winds blow over dry, exposed topsoil. The latest severe weather warnings for this event are available here: http://www.weatherzone.com.au/warnings.jsp