If you live in southeastern Australia, keep your jacket close by as the mercury will remain well below average during much of next week, coinciding with the last days of summer. 

After a hot spell during the last few days, which has led to a low-intensity to severe heatwave across SA, Victoria, and Tasmania, things are about to change during the weekend.

Adelaide registered maximum temperatures above 34 degrees during 4 consecutive days between Tuesday and Friday whereas the heat started to impact Melbourne on Thursday with a top of 32 degrees, intensifying on Friday (33 degrees).  

Hot conditions will start to ease on Saturday in the southeast as a cool airmass is pushing the heat towards western NSW and Queensland. However, top temperatures are still expected to be in the high twenties or low thirties for Adelaide and Melbourne.  

A front crossing the south during Sunday will bring a much cooler airmass that should linger until late next week. The mercury will stay 4-8 degrees below average in Adelaide and Melbourne between Sunday and Thursday, possibly extending into Friday in Melbourne, with April-like temperatures. Tuesday appears to be the coolest day, when the temperature may fail to reach 20 degrees in Melbourne. 

Image: Cold air in the south on Tuesday represented by temperatures around 1,500 metres. 

Cloud cover will be significant at times during Monday and Tuesday, limiting daytime heating. On top of that, gusty southerly winds will make it feel 2-3 degrees cooler.   

Models suggest warmer conditions towards the end of the week but temperatures would most likely stay below the long-term average.