Australia’s spring has arrived with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, as Sydney and Brisbane brace for potentially record-breaking early September temperatures, while southern New South Wales gets a dusting of snow. Because why not have all four seasons in one weekend?

Sydney’s first days of September are on track to match the city’s midsummer average of 26.4C, making it the warmest start to spring since the Observatory Hill station opened in 1858. That’s right - we’re talking about weather records older than the telephone, and Sydney is already smashing them.

Suburbs across the city were expected to hit up to 33C on Saturday afternoon, which is a full 13C above the average for this time of year. Badgerys Creek hit 33C shortly before 2pm, while Observatory Hill reached 32.1C shortly after. Meteorologist Tom Saunders explained that a gusty north-westerly airstream from the northern interior is responsible for the 13C boost, with the highest anomalies affecting the NSW coast.

“For Sydney, it’s likely to be the hottest day this early in spring on record,” Saunders told ABC News, adding that the first five days of September are on track to average 27C - matching the midsummer average. He also warned that spring temperatures could average up to three degrees above recent decades, potentially making it the hottest spring on record. Because who doesn’t love a little existential climate dread with their sunscreen?

These warm, dry, and windy conditions have fire dangers spiking, with a total fire ban in place for the greater Sydney region and extreme fire danger forecast. Meanwhile, the rest of the country is getting its own share of dramatic weather: damaging winds in South Australia that could bring down trees and roofs, and minor to moderate flooding in parts of Victoria and Tasmania.

And in a plot twist that would make M. Night Shyamalan proud, live cameras showed snow falling in Thredbo in the Snowy Mountains on Saturday morning. The Bureau of Meteorology had forecast snow at Thredbo top station by 4pm, with a daytime low of -1C. But don’t get too excited - the new snow won’t do much to help the parlous cover on Australia’s ski fields after a warm winter. Weatherzone journalist Anthony Sharwood noted on Friday that while September snowfalls are meaningful when there’s a decent remnant snowpack, the Australian snowpack is at a historic low for the first week of September, even at the highest elevations.

Down south, southern Queensland will see temperatures peak in the mid-30s, while South Australia’s Mount Lofty and Flinders ranges could see wind gusts up to 110km/h. Heavy rains are forecast for north-east Victoria and northern Tasmania, with up to 60mm expected in some parts. BoM meteorologist David Crock warned that catchments in those areas are already wet from multiple flood warnings this winter, so a flood watch is current again for northern Victoria and parts of northern Tasmania.

All this drama is set against the background of a “supersized” El Niño weather phenomenon to Australia’s east, which is already breaking heat records and could comfortably surpass previous events. On Thursday, the UN’s weather agency said the event in the Pacific is continuing to strengthen and will probably persist until early 2027, warning it has the “potential to deliver a massive blow to communities and economies across the world.” El Niño typically means hotter and drier conditions for Australia’s south and east in winter and spring, increasing the risk of heatwaves, drought, and bushfires.

Australia’s national council for fire and emergency services predicts heightened fire risk across northern and south-eastern NSW, south-east Queensland, north-eastern Tasmania, parts of Western Australia, South Australia, and Victoria, and large parts of the Northern Territory. So, in summary: bring your shorts, your snow boots, your umbrella, and maybe a fire extinguisher. Spring in Australia is not for the faint of heart.