If all you want for Christmas is sunny weather, you've got it

The southeast of Australia looks to be getting a white Christmas after all because you’ll need a lot of sunscreen.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has released its forecasts for Christmas week, and there’s a strong theme: sunny, sunny, sunny, with maybe a dash of “partly cloudy”.

Here’s the rundown of what to expect around the region (click the links to access the full forecasts on the BOM website).

Canberra

The temperature maxes out at 33 degrees Celsius today (Saturday), followed by 32 on Sunday, before dipping to a cooler change of 24 on Monday – when there’s a possible shower predicted – and 28 on Tuesday (Christmas Eve).

Christmas Day itself will start at 9 degrees and reach a high of 33 degrees, with light winds and a zero per cent chance of rain.

The oven will be left on for Boxing Day when the temperature will be 37.

Batemans Bay

Let’s be honest – this’ll be where you are. Or want to be. But the weather looks to actually be cooler on the south coast.

Today’s temperature will top out at 27, with light winds and a piddly 10 per cent chance of rain.

For Sunday, this rises to a 50 per cent chance of up to 1 mm of rain and on Monday an 80 per cent chance of up to 7 mm, with the “chance of a thunderstorm” thrown in on both days. Maximum temps stay around 26 to 27 degrees.

The sunny weather is back just in time for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, with highs of 25 and 28 and a 5 per cent chance of rain.

As with Canberra, there’s an uptick for Boxing Day, with a high of 33 degrees.

Ulladulla

The situation is similar further up the coast.

Today and Sunday will reach a high of 24, with a 40 per cent chance of rain on Sunday. This goes down to 22 degrees and up to 70 per cent chance, respectively, on Monday, before the sun comes out again for Christmas Eve, with a high of 21.

Christmas Day and Boxing Day continue the trend seen elsewhere with tops of 25 and 29.

Bega

Today will reach a high of 28, with a 20 per cent chance of rain, and a 60 and 70 per cent chance of a “shower or two” on Sunday and Monday. Temperatures will hover around the mid-20s on both days.

Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day are all expected to be sunny and 26, 28 and 34 degrees, respectively.

Wollongong

Saturday’s max temperature of 25 degrees sets the scene for the week, with 24 on Monday, 21 on Christmas Eve, 25 on Christmas Day (how appropriate for 25 December) and 29 on Boxing Day.

Sunday has a 30 per cent chance of a shower, up slightly to 40 per cent on Monday.

And the rest of summer?

Earlier this month, the BOM released its long-range forecast for summer. The key findings were higher-than-average nighttime temperatures and rainfall.

It said the spring this year was “much warmer than usual”, and this trend looks set to continue.

“Most of the country is more likely to have a typical range of January rainfall, although parts of eastern NSW and southeast Queensland may see above average rainfall,” the BOM said.

Similarly, “large parts” of NSW are predicted to be warmer this summer, although parts around the Central, Southern and Northern Tablelands will have some reprieve with “more milder temperatures”.

The ACT is expected to see temperatures typical of summer.

“However, warmer nighttime temperatures are very likely across both NSW and the ACT.”

Most of NSW and the ACT are also expected to be wetter than usual, especially in December. The January forecast indicates the chance for above-average rainfall along the eastern seaboard.

Original Article published by James Coleman on Riotact.