The weather bureau is warning hot conditions across Queensland today could cause fires in the south and severe thunderstorms in the north.
Brisbane is expected to hit 35 degrees Celsius, while Cairns, Rockhampton and Mt Isa are all predicted to reach 34C today.
The Bureau of Meteorology's (BOM) senior forecaster Kimba Wong said Queensland's weather was a "tale of two stories", with dry heat in the south and humid heat up north.
In south-east Queensland, a dry air mass is starting to spread.
"As a result of those hot, dry and windy conditions, we have got extreme fire danger forecast for the south-east coast today and a fire weather warning is now current," Ms Wong said.
Fire bans in place
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services (QFES) has declared fire bans for the Gold Coast, Logan, Scenic Rim, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley and Somerset regions.
In the 24 hours to 9am, QFES had attended about a dozen minor vegetation fires, mostly in south-east Queensland.
Meanwhile, the BOM has predicted a hot and humid air mass over central and northern parts of the state could bring severe thunderstorms to Queensland's northern and eastern interior and a large stretch of the coast from Bowen to Gympie.
"If we do see severe thunderstorms developing, the most likely risk period would be this afternoon and evening," Ms Wong said.
"These severe thunderstorms, if they do develop, may pose a risk of damaging wind gusts, large hail and heavy rainfall," she said.
Ms Wong said "nasty storms" last night had brought a drenching to parts of central and northern Queensland.
"In particular, south-west of Gladstone, we had a couple of locations that were just over 50 millimetres in the gauge," she said.
"Through western Capricornia, I did see some pictures on social media of some large to giant hail.
"When we start talking about giant hail, that's with a diameter in excess of 5 centimetres, so really quite dangerous size hailstones there."
Heatwave for central parts
The BOM has declared a heatwave in parts of central and northern Queensland, where both maximum and minimum temperatures have remained above average for several days.
"Low-intensity heatwave conditions are north of about Mackay at the moment but reaching severe heatwave conditions through parts of the north Tropical Coast and peninsular as well," Ms Wong said.
The RSPCA has issued a plea for pet owners to look out for their pets in the heat.
"Most of the calls that we receive about pets in heat distress relate to dogs, whether they're left in a backyard without shade or water, or if they've been spotted in a vehicle panting excessively," spokesperson Emma Lagoon said.
"Make sure that your pet got lots of water and shade this time of year."
Ms Lagoon said the RSPCA received about 70 calls relating to pets in heat distress in October and it was expecting more calls this week.
"You can leave water out for wildlife as well because they do get hot with these high temperatures, and if you see an animal in distress, please call our hotline, which is 1300 Animal," Ms Lagoon said.
Alcohol warning for schoolies
Health authorities are warning people to keep their fluids up, but for schoolies partying on the Gold Coast, there was also a reminder not to replace water with alcohol.
"By far and large, the most presentations we're seeing are alcohol related," QAS senior operations supervisor Justin Payne said.
"Particularly yesterday, the heatwave conditions, we believe that schoolies may be replacing water with alcohol.
"With the upcoming weather conditions that we're going to be experiencing over the next few days, please drink plenty of water. Alcohol is not a viable alternative."
Gold Coast lifeguards are also warning school-leavers who decide to cool off in the ocean to make sure they do so when beaches are patrolled.
"Make sure they're not going to go swimming after hours, swimming where there's no flagged area," acting chief lifeguard Anthony Lunney said.
"At night and after hours, we can't see you, we can't save you.
"If you're with your mates, we try and ask you to keep an eye on your mates as well."
Cooler reprieve tomorrow
Ms Wong south-east Queensland residents should expect the region to cool down slightly tomorrow.
"Tomorrow we will see the wind starting to turn around a little bit more south-westerly, or more southerly, and that will bring a slight cooling influence as well.
"So maximum temperatures for south-east Queensland should drop back into the high 20s as we head through the next couple of days."
But there is no such luck predicted for northern parts of the state.
"Unfortunately for Far North Queensland, we haven't really got any relief on the forecast in terms of a significant decrease in the heat and humidity over the next several days," Ms Wong said.
"Of course, as we come to this time of year it's not uncommon to see hot and humid conditions, but really, it's just the chance of an afternoon shower or thunderstorm over the next several days that may offer a brief respite from the heat that's ongoing up there."
