Hello, it's Angus at the Bureau.

Tomorrow will be the 18th of December, one week from Christmas, and join me as we explore the weather forecast across the nation for Thursday the 18th.

It will be the hottest day of the week for many areas through southern and eastern Australia. Lots of sunshine, temperatures a long way above average, and not a whole lot of rain around.

There’ll be typical wet season showers and thunderstorms across northern parts, but minimal rainfall expected south of about Rockhampton on the east coast and Exmouth on the west coast, and right through the middle.

Let's go state by state, starting in Queensland.

A pretty settled, bright day is expected across most areas, with a mixture of blue skies and a little bit of cloud across the south-east and the southern interior. Dry weather is anticipated through these regions, including around Brisbane.

We could see one or two showers from about Mackay northwards up the east coast. Mostly nothing too serious in terms of incoming rainfall, but perhaps a couple of heavy showers around the north tropical coast and around the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Through central parts of the state around Longreach and out towards the western districts, it will be quite a warm day, with the chance of an afternoon shower or storm.

A warm, sunny day is expected across New South Wales – very summery weather forecast here for Thursday. Canberra is tracking towards a warm high of 37 °C, but surrounding areas like Wagga Wagga and Albury could brush 40 °C for a time in the afternoon.

Not quite that hot across the east coast, but temperatures in the low to mid-thirties with sunny skies overhead for Wollongong, Sydney, Newcastle and Maitland.

A very hot day is forecast for Victoria on Thursday. This is the hottest day of the current spell of warm weather.

Melbourne is heading towards a high of 36 degrees, but if you live on or north of the mountain ranges, there is every chance that your maximum temperature could begin with a four – 40 to 42 degree temperatures through the northern districts.

It will be a little cooler along the south coast, and we also anticipate a cool wind change moving across southern areas during the afternoon or evening. Temperatures will cool off towards the back half of the day for southern Victoria.

A bright morning is expected across Tasmania, but just when the day starts to heat up, we'll see a little bit of cloud moving through during the morning, with patchy cloud lingering into the afternoon.

A very weak weather system slowly glides by during the afternoon and evening, bringing the risk of one or two showers to most districts in the state for the second half of Thursday.

If any rain does come through in your area, chances are it won't be much – between 1 and 3 millimetres – but it will help moderate temperatures into the mid to upper twenties.

A very hot day is forecast for South Australia as well on Thursday. Adelaide is heading towards 39 °C, so take that extra bit of care if you are heading along to watch the cricket – a seat in the shade may be preferred.

Surrounding areas will be even hotter, with Murray Bridge up towards 43 °C, Maitland at 41 °C, and Port Augusta at 42 °C.

There is minimal chance of rainfall across the state. It will be sunny skies, although there could be a shower or storm up across the north-east pastoral district.

After one day back in the twenties, temperatures will return to 30 degrees plus across Perth on Thursday. Most other areas in the south will be around 30 degrees, unless you're right along the south coast where it will be cooler with cloudy skies and a couple of light showers between Esperance and Albany.

Northern areas will also have mostly blue skies and sunny weather, with temperatures in the high thirties on the coast and low forties inland.

It's worth paying attention to this L here – this low pressure region north of the Top End, which is slowly drifting south. That is a tropical low, currently Tropical Low 07U, which is moving closer to northern parts of the country.

It is not forecast to arrive on Thursday, but perhaps during the weekend this system could bring enhanced rainfall to parts of the Top End.

Even before that low pressure area arrives, we will see a risk of showers and storms widespread across northern parts of Australia, from Broome right across to the Cape York Peninsula, including the northern half of the Territory.

One area to watch in particular is the central Top End around the Katherine region, where thunderstorms could bring some particularly heavy falls.

It is bright and sunny around Alice Springs and Uluru.

To see what else the next week has in store, you can find your local forecast on the Bureau's website or app.

And as a reminder, the Christmas forecast will come out tomorrow afternoon.

Thanks for watching.