Australia’s Christmas weather will be a mixed bag, says the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM). Queensland will have warm, humid, and cloudy skies with rain and thunderstorms in some northern and central areas. Brisbane’s temperature will peak at 33°C. New South Wales will mostly enjoy dry, sunny weather. Some eastern coastal areas may get light showers, with rainfall below 5mm, and a chance of a non-severe thunderstorm in north-east NSW. Sydney can expect a top of 25°C and Canberra 29°C. Victoria will be cooler with a few light showers and highs around 19°C in Melbourne and up to the mid-20s north of the ranges. Tasmania sees cool weather with scattered showers and possible snow on peaks over 1,000 meters. Hobart’s temperature will reach 17°C. In sharp contrast, Western Australia will face very hot weather with temperatures reaching the high 30s and low 40s. Perth’s forecast temperature is 39°C. The Northern Territory will have warm, humid, and cloudy conditions with highs in the mid to high 30s, and Darwin topping at 32°C. These Christmas celebrations follow an extreme heatwave in southern Australia since last Thursday, expected to ease by Sunday. Areas like NSW’s mid-north coast, Illawarra, south coast, and Snowy Mountains will see maximum temperatures in the high 30s to low 40s. A severe heatwave warning covers a stretch from eastern Victoria to Brisbane through the weekend. The BoM advises that cooler temperatures will develop from the south, peaking at the end of the week before easing later on. The NRMA warns parents about the dangers of heat in parked cars. "Even on a mild day, the temperature inside a parked car can become dangerous very quickly, placing children at immediate risk of heatstroke, dehydration and, in extreme cases, death," the NRMA said. Thankfully, calls for rescue of children and pets left in cars have decreased in recent years.