Many of Sydney's commuters are in for a sweltering journey to and from work today as temperatures soar towards the high 30s ahead a late afternoon cool change.

The past five years have been the hottest on record.

Queanbeyan and southern Canberra have been battered with a severe hail storm.

Hume Coal’s mine and rail project applications have been referred back to the Independent Planning Commission for a public hearing and determination within 12 weeks.

A strong cold front will sweep over much of Australia over the weekend, bringing potentially the largest outbreak of frigid conditions in 15 years, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

Canberra is in for some above-average warmth as the weekend nears but the odd shower and a touch of cloud will rain on an otherwise sunny parade.

A much-anticipated cool change took its time making it to Sydney, dragging out another unseasonably hot day.

Going to Sea World isn't a walk in the park for the animals kept in captivity, say campaigners.

Canberra's temperatures varied by more than 35 degrees during a warmer, drier summer than average, meteorologists say.

National records were smashed in the scorching start to March, as the driest January-February in parts of northern Australia for half a century led to an unusual build-up of heat, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.

Last month was within 0.01 degrees of being the equal warmest April in records going back to 1891, Japan Meteorological Agency says.

Large swaths of India were baking again Wednesday under intense heat that has killed more than 1,300 people and left the government scrambling to warn an often unheeding population about the dangers of stepping outside in the blazing midday sun.

Googong dam has begun to spill again, as Wednesday's wet weather pushed it to capacity, while sporting grounds across the territory were shut and chaos reigned on Canberra's roads.

It was the perfect winter weekend to stay indoors with the Perth metropolitan area drenched in rain and battered by strong winds and hail stones.

The hyperactive hurricane season in the Pacific has jumped up another gear, spawning a record trio of category 4 strength tropical storms that will give the powerful El Nino event yet another boost.