Queensland town enduring extraordinary heatwave

An outback Queensland town experiencing an extraordinary run of 43C-plus temperatures could be about to endure its hottest February day.

The mercury in Birdsville is tipped to reach 45C today and again on Saturday, while a top of 46C is expected on Sunday.

Residents have sweltered through a 16-day run of days above 40C.

The town's February maximum temperature record is 46.2C, which was only set last Friday.

The forecast means the town could also break Queensland's February daily maximum record of 46.5C.

Residents in the small town on the South Australian border have been enduring an incredible run of heat, with the mercury having pushed past 43C every day since Australia Day.

The town's average February maximum is 38C.

The Bureau of Meteorology's Andrew Bufalino said hot air building in the atmosphere since the New Year had pushed up temperatures in Birdsville and many other parts of the state.

"We have had a stagnant weather pattern that has led to a significant pool of hot air over much of the interior of the country with no significant change of air mass," he explained.

Heat records could also tumble in southern Queensland on the weekend, with temperatures as high as 12C above average forecast.

Mr Bufalino said records were most likely to be broken in Toowoomba and Applethorpe.

A top of 38C is forecast for Toowoomba on Sunday, 0.6C above its February temperature record.

Applethorpe is tipped to reach 38C on Sunday, which is 1.2C higher than its record.