The start of the week has brought with it the peak of another heatwave in south-east Queensland, with temperatures as much as 10 degrees above the monthly average expected.
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The searing heat could turn into severe storms on Monday afternoon, with the weather bureau warning dark clouds and damaging wind gusts were possible between Gympie and the Gold Coast.
There is the potential for parts of the region to reach their hottest March days on record with the mercury expected to come close to hitting 40 degrees for the first time this month.
Esk, Gatton, Ipswich and Laidley were all bracing for a maximum of 39 degrees on Monday with the arrival of a warm air mass from western Queensland, carried by north-westerly winds.
By 11.30am, the Lockyer Valley suburb of Gatton exceeded 37 degrees, the Ipswich suburb of Amberley hit 36, Brisbane was up to 34, the Gold Coast was on 30 and the Sunshine Coast exceeded 33.
Weatherzone meteorologist Craig McIntosh said the warmest March day on record for Amberley was in 2007 when the mercury hit 38.9 degrees.
Ipswich was heading for 39 degrees and the city's average top March temperature is 29.8 degrees.
Brisbane's average March maximum is 29 degrees and the River City was expected to reach 36 degrees on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Sunshine Coast was expected to reach a much cooler 33 degrees and the Gold Coast was forecast to hit a top of 32.
Mr McIntosh said Monday's heat would "challenge" that record and it was dependent on how long the north-westerly winds lasted before a cooling east-north-easterly change arrived by mid-afternoon.
"There is a good chance of the south-east exceeding 39 but whether it will hit 40 we’ll just have to wait and see," Mr McIntosh said.
"[The north-westerly wind] is what’s bringing the heat today and obviously the sea breezes are a lot weaker by the time they get to Ipswich and Amberley.
"A very hot air mass from western Queensland is coming to the south-east, the skies have been pretty clear over the northern interior for quite a while.
"It is still going to be blowing a very light westerly into the afternoon and then by about mid-afternoon it should turn to an east-north-easterly and that’s where the cooling will occur.
"There is also a chance of a shower or thunderstorm this afternoon too."
Sunday signalled the start of a three-day heatwave and Monday was expected to be the hottest day.
Bureau of Meteorology's David Crock said temperatures were expected to ease on Wednesday.
"Tomorrow is looking like the hottest day for the south-east," he said on Sunday.
"We've actually never recorded a temperature in the 40s in the south-east coast district in March, which extends to Toowoomba and the Scenic Rim.
"This means if we do see a temperature over 40 tomorrow that'll be a first and we may see a couple of records fall in terms of March maximum temperatures."
Mr Crock said the heatwave was not unusual as summer temperatures could still be experienced for the beginning of autumn.
