Scorching weather forecast for western Sydney, Melbourne and northern Victoria

Melbourne is forecast to hit 37C on Sunday, with northern parts of Victoria reaching temperatures as high as 43C. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/Reuters

Much of southern Queensland and eastern New South Wales will be gripped by heatwave conditions over the weekend as western Sydney and Melbourne brace for temperatures in the high 30s on Sunday.

Ex-tropical cyclone Kirrily has continued to dump heavy rain across parts of outback Queensland but the system was forecast to track south, taking a route across NSW, before finally leaving the continent on Tuesday.