"There's certainly the potential for further days to reach maximums above 40 degrees in the next week,"Dr Trewin said.
On December 17,Australia averaged 40.9 degrees,beating a January 7,2013 record of 40.3 degrees. A day later,the bar was raised a full degree higher,at 41.9 degrees,stunning climate scientists by the size of the margin. At least six days have topped 40 degrees on average during the current hot spell.
Alice Springs,in the nation's red centre,is in the midst of a month averaging about 40 degree days with several likely to climb above 45 degrees. Indeed,on Christmas Day Alice Springs hit 45.7 degrees,a record for the site for any month.
At an elevation of 546 metres,the 45-degree days would be the equivalent of 50 degrees at sea level,Dr Trewin said.
With so much inland heat available it only needs north-westerly winds to develop to push that hot air into Australia's more populous south-east.
The MCG Boxing Day Test matchbetween Australia and New Zealand in Melbourne will heat up with 35 and 41 degrees forecast for days three to five,should it last that long.