Rural Queenslanders are sweltering through some of the region's hottest recorded temperatures with several towns across the state's north-west reaching tops of more than 40 degrees Celsius.
Julia Creek recorded its hottest October day on Sunday when the mercury reached 43.9C, eclipsing the previous heat record at 43.8C set in 2018.
More records were expected to be broken on Monday.
"We're expecting another 43 [degrees] today there, so it could re-break its own record," Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Livio Regano said.
"In fact there's a lot of places that could break records today, very hot temperatures across the west today."
He said there was a "vigorous" trough system on the eastern side of Australia.
"We've got the hottest wind you can, get which is the north-westerly," Mr Regano said.
"On the western side we've got a cooler wind, which comes grom the south west."
Julia Creek resident Georgia Crocker said her town was used to dealing with heat, but the start of summer always took some getting used to.
"The first hot weather is always a bit of a shock," she said.
"The temperature cooled a little by the evening in time for our local Halloween trick or treating."
Residents in the neighbouring town of Cloncurry also battled 43C heat while the mercury in Mount Isa and Camooweal reached 41C and Richmond experienced a top of 42C.
Cool change to come
Temperatures across north-west Queensland are set to drop by 10C on Tuesday as a cool changes makes its way through the region.
"Two different types of air that don't mix together, the cold air's very heavy and the warm air tends to be quite light," Mr Regano said.
"That's why we get fronts, when they come together they just slide around each other.
"When these fronts advance they get displaced by the others so the 40-something degree air suddenly subsides and you'll get the 30-odd degree air coming to take its place and they don't really mix.
"Melbourne's famous for these changes."
