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Showers and storms are occurring across northern parts of the NT, NSW and Qld in moist, unstable air. Showers for SA's east and Vic's south and east, with gusty winds and rain for Tas as a front crosses the region. High pressure keeps much of WA and central AUS dry.
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Today, 2:38AM UTC
What is a supercell thunderstorm?
Some thunderstorms are more dangerous than others and the most violent type of storm is called a supercell, a towering, rotating beast in the sky that can cause destructive winds, giant hail, flash flooding and tornadoes. What makes a thunderstorm severe? All thunderstorms create lightning and thunder. However, the Bureau of Meteorology doesn’t issue warnings for lightning because this would mean issuing a warning for every single storm throughout the year. Image: Lightning over Melbourne. Source: iStock / SW_Photo Severe thunderstorm warnings are only issued in Australia when a storm becomes intense enough to cause damage to infrastructure or impacts to people. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, a severe thunderstorm in Australia is a storm which produces any one of the following: Damaging wind gusts greater than 90 km/h Large hail measuring greater than 2cm in diameter Heavy rain conducive to flash flooding Tornadoes Even within the select group of thunderstorms that are considered to be severe in Australia, there is a category of storm that stands out above the rest for its potential to cause the most destruction: supercell thunderstorms. What is a supercell? A supercell is a type of thunderstorm that rotates, which allows it to grow larger and more intense than most other types of storms. In a typical non-supercell thunderstorm, the storm grows as air rises in a section of the storm called the updraft. When the rain and hail within this updraft gets too heavy, it starts to fall back towards the ground, creating a downdraft that can cause damaging winds, heavy rain and large hail at the surface. These types of storms often weaken or collapse when the cool downdraft interferes with the warm updraft. Supercell thunderstorms, however, are storms that have the downdraft displaced from the updraft, which can allow them to grow far more intense and last longer than other storms, sometimes for several hours. Supercells form when there is sufficient wind shear in the atmosphere, meaning the wind speed increases, and wind direction changes, as you move up through the atmosphere. Wind shear causes supercell thunderstorms to rotate, displacing the updraft from the downdraft. Image: A supercell thunderstorm in Kansas, USA. Source: iStock / mdesigner125 Supercells often create more dangerous weather than other severe thunderstorms, including any of the following: Giant hail measuring more than 5cm in diameter Destructive wind gusts exceeding 125 km/h Very heavy rain leading to flash flooding Tornadoes Supercell thunderstorms can also move in unusual directions, often turning towards the left or right relative to the background movement of surrounding thunderstorms. This makes them extremely difficult to predict ahead of time. Supercell thunderstorms happen every year in Australia, particularly during spring and summer. Check the latest warnings in your area throughout the storm season to stay up to date with any severe thunderstorm activity, including supercells.
Today, 12:25AM UTC
Record October heat possible in at least three states
A broad area of outback heat intensifying over the weekend and continuing into next Monday and Tuesday could generate record high temperatures for October in at least three states. South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales and even the ACT could all break their October heat records with maximums in the mid-40s as this event unfolds. During the week, a large mass of hot air built up over northwest WA, with Mardie in the Pilbara reaching 43.5°C on Monday and Tuesday, which is 8°C above average for an October day. This heat is now spreading across the country, causing a huge pool of unseasonably warm temperatures in outback regions, while parts of southeastern Australia closer to the coast will also experience a brief burst of unseasonable heat later in the weekend and into the new week. Let’s break down the areas of potentially record-breaking heat state by state: Image: Maximum temperatures for next Tuesday, October 21, show broad areas of pink (44°C or higher) pushing well into NSW. South Australia Oodnadatta in SA’s North East Pastoral forecast district is forecast to reach 43°C on Sunday and 45°C by Monday. Tarcoola in the North West Pastoral forecast district could also see 45°C on Sunday. So there’s the possibility the old SA October heat record of 45.4°C (at Oodnadatta) could be broken. Adelaide will miss the worst of the heat, with its hottest day being Sunday with a likely maximum of 31°C. Queensland Birdsville in the far southwest of the state will likely see a run of at least five days with maximums over 40°C, beginning this Friday. The heat peaks on Sunday and Monday, with maximums of 44°C and 45°C on the cards, while heat approaching 45°C could also stick around until Tuesday. The state high temperature record for October is 45.1°C, also at Birdsville, so it’s conceivable that the record could be broken. Brisbane should reach 32°C on Saturday and 27°C on Sunday. New South Wales The state record for October is 43.9°C at Brewarrina in the far northwest corner of the state. Parts of the NSW Upper Western forecast district are expected to reach 43°C on Tuesday (including Bourke and Tibooburra), meaning the October heat record is within reach. After potentially severe storms on Friday afternoon and evening, Sydney will have a relatively cool Saturday with a top of just 22°C, with the mercury rising to 32°C by Monday. Another burst of heat will see a very hot day next Wednesday that could reach 37°C. The ACT Canberra is not going to see the extreme outback heat, but it will cop that SE Australia heat surge early next week mentioned above. The national capital is forecast to reach 32°C on both Monday and Tuesday, with the October record being 32.7°C. Meanwhile it will be freezing in our southernmost state... Image: Webcam image from Mt Mawson, about two hours NW of Hobart, on the morning of Friday, October 17, 2025. Source: Mt Mawson. In Tasmania, snow is forecast down to 700m above sea level from this evening into Saturday as a cold front whips through the state. Maximums at places like kunanyi/Mt Wellington above Hobart will be below 5°C at times over the next five to six days, meaning it’s possible that locations across Australia will see concurrent temperatures that are 40 degrees apart!
16 Oct 2025, 5:48AM UTC
Relief for Victoria after hottest day of spring 2025 to date
Maximum temperatures across Victoria on Friday should be around 10 degrees cooler than Thursday's levels, after the state’s hottest day to date in spring 2025. Temperatures recorded in Victoria up to 6pm Thursday included: 36.8°C at Walpeup, a tiny map speck of 150 residents about 130 km south of Mildura. This was Victoria’s highest temperature so far this spring, and an extreme fire danger rating with a total fire ban has been in place across the Mallee today. 32.5°C at Avalon, today's highest reading in the Central forecast district (which includes Melbourne). 32.4°C at Bairnsdale in East Gippsland, the town’s hottest day since March 9. 30.1°C at Melbourne, meaning the city recorded its first 30-degree day since April, while Melbourne Airport hit 30.8°C and Moorabbin Airport in the city’s southeast topped 31°C. The very warm temperatures in almost all parts of the state (except the South West forecast district) were caused by warm northwesterlies ahead of a relatively weak cold front which pushes through central and eastern parts of the state this evening and overnight. Friday's maximums will be closer to average for October statewide, with Melbourne going for 19°C (October average 19.7°C). While there will be a pronounced temperature drop for two days before another warm surge on Sunday, unfortunately there won’t be much rain relief, with only a brief passing shower with a rainband currently crossing the state. Image: Three-hour combined radar and satellite loop over Victoria on the afternoon of Thursday, October 16, 2025. Melbourne in particular has had a dry time of it in recent months, with below-average rainfall in all but two months of 2025 to date, including each of the last three full months. Image: Rainfall deciles for Australia in September, 2025 showing large areas of pink or red (below average or very much below average respectively) rainfall over most of Victoria. Source: BoM. October has also started out in a relatively dry fashion in Melbourne, with only 14mm for the first half of the month. The monthly average rainfall is 65.7mm, in what is traditionally the wettest month of the year.