Christmas Day weather forecast: Scorching heat for Queensland and NT, cooler temps elsewhere

Australia is going to be a country of two halves today with cool air over the southeast and scorching heat over the north and west.

Large parts of southern Queensland and the Northern Territory will feel the heat with temperatures greater than 42 degrees today.

A cool change will be moving through northern parts of New South Wales and South Australia, bringing relief from the heat before the day's end.

Showers and storms look to spark up in the afternoon and evening near the northern NSW coastline.

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Storms are most likely between Newcastle and Lismore, extending up to Brisbane by the late evening.

Storms may be severe with heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hail. 

Most of Victoria and South Australia will be mild-to-warm and dry under high pressure.

Tasmania will see a few light showers and cloud lingering throughout the day, particularly in the south.

Almost all of Western Australia looks to be quite hot, with most places sitting in the 30s and 40s.

A trough and low pressure system will move west during the day, bringing some cooling relief to the southwest for places like Perth.

A few showers and storms should pop up during the evening, mostly in the Goldfields and South East Coastal.

The Top End of the Northern Territory is in for a wet Christmas as the monsoonal trough arrives from the north.

Showers and thunderstorms are likely throughout the area.

Some coastal parts may even see daily rainfall exceed 120mm.

This rainfall will also likely make it the coldest day for three weeks.