BOM Christmas weather forecast: Here’s the first look at what to expect for Christmas lunch

How long that high hangs around for could determine if you get a wet Christmas lunch.

“The devil is in the detail in the south,” said Mr Browne. 

“If [the ridge] stays strong we will have a fine Christmas but if it goes the other way there could be a few showers around for Christmas day in the south-east.”

Up north, the monsoon is slowly making its way south. 

“With the return of that tropical moisture to the north, broadly speaking there should be showers and storms north of the Capricorn. A little drier through the centre,” Mr Browne said.

But before you make concrete Christmas Day arrangements, bear in mind a lot could change by then, Mr Browne cautioned.

“It’s a week out so these things should be taken with a very large grain of salt,” he said. 

Sydney is forecast to reach a maximum of 28C on Christmas day with the slight chance of a shower.

Up in Coffs Harbour, you are looking at 26C, with a high chance of showers.

In Dubbo, it is expected to be partly cloudy, with a forecast maximum of 32C. 

For those on the roads these Christmas holidays, be aware that flooding is still affecting parts of the country, particularly in NSW and Queensland.

Inland flooding will be a feature for the next month or so, even if we were to turn the tap off, so to speak,” said Mr Browne.

But in good news, there is no major rain expected over the flooded catchments in the next week. 

Melbourne is expecting to reach up to 29C on Christmas Day, with the chance of a shower if that high pressure system weakens.

In the state’s west, Horsham should expect a mostly sunny day with a max of 32C.

A maximum of 30 degrees is expected in Adelaide under mostly sunny skies.

Mount Gambier is expecting a Christmas Day maximum of just 23C after getting up to 30C the day before.

In the state’s north it will, predictably, be hot with a maximum of 41C forecast for Oodnadatta on December 25.