Aussies are facing a range of weather conditions this weekend as pockets of rain threaten flash flooding, while showers and a fire warning hang over some major cities.
Warm and dry conditions will linger around the Greater Sydney and Hunter Regions which has led to the Bureau of Meteorology issuing an "extreme fire danger" for Saturday.
"Gusty thunderstorms are expected over much of the State, contracting to eastern parts during the day and clearing in the evening," an alert said.
Coinciding with the fire danger, a severe weather warning for damaging winds was issued for the elevated parts of NSW, from Armidale to Goulburn.
"Strong west to northwesterly winds averaging 50 to 60 km/h with damaging wind gusts of around 90 km/h are possible from mid-morning Saturday," the Bureau said.
Winds are expected to ease by early Saturday evening.
Bracing for a wet weekend is Adelaide, with showers expected across the southeast of South Australia, tracking into Victoria.
Sky News meteorologist James Preston said the storm threat had shifted from Queensland and focussed over the red centre of the country bringing wind and heavy rainfall.
Preston said the rain and damaging winds over South Australia particularly could lead to flash flooding.
In Queensland, a heatwave warning was issued for the Central West, Central Coast and Whitsundays as maximum temperatures are expected to reach the low forties.
Severe heatwaves pose a threat for older people and young mothers, as well as people with health conditions.
The BoM urged people at risk to stay cool and protect their homes against the heat by drawing the curtains early.
Further south, Melbourne faces drizzly rain across the weekend, while Hobart can expect cloudy days ahead with lows of nine degrees and a maximum of 17C.
In the Top End, Darwin faces a fluctuating couple of days with high humidity and storms expected in the early afternoons on both Saturday and Sunday.
Territorians could face an early afternoon storm on Saturday, before the skies clear.
Meanwhile, Perth has a more temperate weekend ahead with sunny skies in the West.
However, a marine wind warning was issued for some parts of Western Australia, with the Ningaloo, Gascoyne and Geraldton Coasts set to experience strong gusts from Friday.
Ongoing dryness and heat has the National Council for Fire and Emergency Services listing some communities in Western Australia and New South Wales to be the worst affected by an increased risk of fires.