Parts of Australia are sweltering through the start of a week-long heatwave as temperatures rise into the 40s in some regions.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast daytime temperatures of up to 12C above average and 10C higher than usual at night from Monday to Friday.
Adelaide and much of South Australia will continue to endure heatwave conditions, with authorities warning the soaring temperatures could pose a risk to anyone who doesn't take action to keep cool.
The State Emergency Service has issued an Extreme Heatwave Emergency Warning and the state government has declared a Code Red for Tuesday and Wednesday, as temperatures soar towards the high 40s in some parts of the state.
Beachgoers at Henley Beach in Adelaide seek relief from the heatwave. Source: AAP
The Code Red triggers extra funding so services for the homeless can be extended while a special phone line will also operate for the next two days, providing regular checks on the elderly and others at risk from the extreme conditions.
Adelaide is forecast to have a maximum temperature of 41C on Tuesday and 40C on Wednesday before cooler conditions push through the state on Thursday afternoon.
Further north, Marree soared above 45C on Monday with temperatures in the high-30s to the mid-40s expected until at least Thursday.
"Some respite from the heat will come as early as Friday when a vigorous cold front moves through the state," senior meteorologist Dean Fgarboffa told AAP.
South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has urged all South Australians to take care during the very hot days and stay out of the sun as much as possible.
The Sydney western suburb of Penrith is expected to reach 45C on Friday. Source: Supplied
"These are extraordinary temperatures that are forecast this week," the premier said.
"My strong message to South Australians is to stay hydrated, stay out of the heat as much as possible, and most importantly, check on the vulnerable."
The hot weather comes as the Tour Down Under cycling event gets ready to kick off in Adelaide on Tuesday and the Australian Open fires up in Melbourne.
Tennis players will have cooler conditions than the cyclists but only just - Melbourne is forecast to experience temperatures in the low to medium 30s all week.
An extreme heatwave is expected to sizzle across most of eastern NSW this week while the rest of the state will experience severe conditions.
James Darcy and his dogs cool off with a swim at St Kilda beach in Melbourne. Source: AAP
Sydney temperatures are expected to be above 30c through to the weekend while the west suburbs could top 40C with Penrith forecast to reach 45C on Friday.
Records have already started breaking with Borrona Downs in the state's northwest recording the highest minimum temperature ever in NSW with 34.6C on Monday.
The heat combined with thunderstorms and increased winds will result in severe bushfire danger.
The SES said the extreme conditions, with little relief even at night, would pose a particular risk to babies and young children, the elderly, pregnant women and those who already unwell.
"But in an extreme heatwave, even healthy people who do not take action to keep cool can become very ill," it said.
Amid the searing conditions, the Australia Institute is set to release a report on Tuesday that suggests Adelaide could experience nearly three times as many days over 35C by 2090, unless action is taken to better tackle climate change.
The report, from the institute's Climate and Energy Program, uses CSRIO and Bureau of Meteorology modelling to show how areas in and around Adelaide will get hotter, more regularly.
"Adelaide already has some of the hottest weather of any Australian capital city and, unless we do more to tackle dangerous global warming, that is only going to get worse," the institute's projects manager Noah Schultz-Byard said.
