Australia is bracing for a tumultuous weekend of weather as both thunderstorms and heatwaves are predicted to sweep through various regions.

Melbourne, Brisbane, and Adelaide are in the path of incoming thunderstorms, while parts of northern and western Queensland, including Bundaberg and areas along the state’s coast, are under heatwave warnings.

Since Thursday, the Northern Territory’s inland areas have experienced nearly 400,000 lightning strikes, and more storms are anticipated to hit the inland regions of Western Australia and western South Australia, according to Weatherzone.

Although severe thunderstorms are expected to subside as they progress eastward tomorrow, the threat of heavy rain persists for certain areas in Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland.

In the meantime, heatwave conditions are projected to escalate across portions of Queensland, the Northern Territory, and northern Western Australia.

Multiple areas in those regions are set to reach temperatures in the low 40s for consecutive days in the coming days.

High fire danger ratings will remain in parts of Australia’s north and east as hot, dry and windy conditions.

Severe heatwaves can be dangerous for many people, especially older people, babies, children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with medical conditions and people who are unwell.