Australia is gearing up for a sizzling start to summer as an extreme heatwave has experts forecasting 50C temperatures in a number of regions - but the hot weather may bypass this side of the Tasman.
According to forecasters at WeatherWatch, "refreshing" airflows coming from the Southern Ocean are to blame for New Zealand's exclusion from the extra heat.
"The hot air from Aussie will try to head to New Zealand this weekend, but a secondary burst of south to south-west winds (the first being on Wednesday this week) will help push the warm air over the North Tasman Sea," WeatherWatch says.
"By Sunday and Monday, the heat will be north of New Zealand and retreating back to Australia."
On this side of the ditch, temperatures are forecasted to drop below average this week. Much of the country can expect frequent showers, cloud and lows in the mid-to-high teens, with forecasted highs failing to surpass the 22C mark.
"New Zealand will see places drop below normal this week temperature-wise due to our more 'spring-like' weather pattern," WeatherWatch predicts.
Yet the cooler temperatures may be a blessing in disguise, with areas of Queensland, South Australia and the Northern Territories tipped to reach a scorching 50C. Much of inland Australia can expect daytime highs in the 40s as the heatwave settles across the country.
According to WeatherWatch, Aussie's maximum temperatures are expected to "break December heat records" in a number of states.
