Australia

WeatherWatch.co.nz takes a look at Australia and how the big cities are looking for this coming weekend.

Another big day yesterday and also overnight for Australian fire crews as bushfires got underway again under a blazing sun with very high temperatures.

It's 30 years this weekend since Ash Wednesday, when 75 people lost their lives and more than 3000 homes were destroyed in bushfires across two states across the Tasman.

Whilst we continue to see some pretty settled weather here in New Zealand, there are some very autumn like changes headed for Western Australia.

The tough side of a flooding event is always the clean up and it is a big task taking place over parts of southeast Queensland today.
A military convoy has arrived in flood devastated Wide Bay-Burnett region to help the communities begin the flood recovery.

The worst ever flooding to hit Bundaberg, Queensland has seen many thousands of local residents seeking refuge.

Hit with the worst of Queensland's flooding in the current event, Bundaberg is left with thousands of people forced from their homes, tonnes of sludge to clear and the added slap of price gouging and suspected looting.

Queensland and New South Wales have been in for a hammering over recent days with torrential rain, flooding and high winds including tornadoes.

Conditions have eased inside the last 12 hours however there are still concerns with the amount of water contained in many rivers.

From bush fires to the big wet over a couple of weeks is a big transition but the good news for firefighters in both states is that it has certainly eased the fire risk.

This video containes a surprise for local police on the southeastern Queensland coast and was a bit of a close call.

The Queensland Government has asked the Army to send helicopters to help the state deal with torrential rainfall, major flooding and tornado activity.

Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and other parts of the state's south are on tornado watch, with high winds expected until at least 8pm as ex-tropical cyclone Oswald makes its way south towards NSW.

WeatherWatch.co.nz readers from up and down the country, mainly the North Island, are reporting a hazy orange/bronze tinge in the sky Saturday - and the reason for it is most likely on the other side of the Tasman Sea.

Sydney will be cooler today than yesterday.  A good 20 degrees cooler.  That is likely a change many will welcome after yesterday.

Friday was the hottest it has ever been in Sydney.  Well, at least the hottest it has ever been since they started keeping records over 150 years ago.