Australia’s southern states are enjoying a mostly warm and sunny Christmas Day but heavy rain and storms are threatening to dampen celebrations in the north.
People have flocked to beaches or cranked up backyard barbecues to enjoy the balmy weather but elsewhere others face anxious times due to past rains.
South Australians living along the Murray River are bracing for peaking flood levels, with residents advised to consider evacuating as the water rises to levels not seen in a century.
The peak will be lower than first predicted but thousands of properties along the Murray are still facing inundation in coming weeks.
Two beachgoers, wearing festive red and green bikinis, are pictured carrying a miniature Christmas tree
A group of beachgoers watch over a packed out Bondi beach as scores of people cool off for Christmas
Three women enjoying the Christmas sun are photographed in the middle of taking their own selfie
People are pictured celebrating Christmas at St Kilda Beach in Melbourne, Sunday, December 25, 2022
A dog with a toy Santa Claus on its back sits watching its owner pour champagne beside the beach on December 25, 2022 in Lennox Head, NSW
Four friends on Bondi beach pose for a photo being taken by the fifth member of their group
Most of the capital cities are enjoying warm temperatures and clear skies for Christmas Day, with some early cloud coverage in Sydney and Hobart.
A shower or two is possible in Brisbane, according to the Bureau of Meteorology, and storms and a maximum of 33C are anticipated in the Top End.
The bureau early on Sunday issued a severe weather warning of intense rainfall and high winds associated with ex-tropical cyclone Ellie as it moves south over the central Northern Territory.
It warned people in parts of Barkly, Simpson and the Tanami districts to be prepared for thunderstorms and ‘dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding’ through Sunday and into Monday.
Red proved a very festive and popular choice for beach wear on Bondi beach (pictured)
‘Say cheese’. Sun lovers are pictured enjoying Christmas Day in true Australian style
Revellers are pictured on Sydney’s Bondi beach shouting out about how much they are loving Christmas Day
While it’s all fun and games for most people on the beach, the surf rescue volunteers (pictured) are working
Red bikinis, such as those pictured above, have proven very popular on Christmas Day
If you get to the beach early enough on Christmas Day, you can pitch a tent as the people pictured did
Santa hats, such as those pictured, have also proven to be very popular on beaches over Christmas
Two women are pictured wisely keeping hydrated on Christmas day on Bondi beach
Damaging wind gusts with peaks in excess of 90km/h are possible over the Barkly district and flood watches are in place for Tennant Creek, Elliott, Ali Curung, Ampilatwatja, Barrow Creek and Renner Springs.
The NT Emergency Service is urging local residents to secure loose items around their homes, avoid driving into floodwaters, have emergency kits ready and to be prepared for power outages.
While Christmas Day is unlikely to break any temperature records, it will mark the start of a low-intensity heat wave that is expected to sit across the south of the continent, including Tasmania, until Wednesday.
Bondi beach was packed out for Christmas day as beachgoers relaxed in the warm sun or went for a dip
If you could be anywhere in the world on Christmas Day, a lot of people, such as those pictured above, might choose Bondi beach
A group of Irish backpackers – with the man in the middle holding a hurley – is pictured at Coogee beach on Christmas Day
St Kilda beach (pictured) was the place to be in Melbourne on Christmas Day, 2022
Christmas Day proves to be as good as any other day to go surfing at Lennox Head (pictured)
Christmas Day weather forecasts for your capital city
Melbourne: 30C max, sunny
Sydney: 28C, Partly cloudy morning, clearing to a mostly sunny afternoon
Darwin: 33C max, high chance of showers and a chance of a thunderstorm
Canberra: 31C max, sunny
Tattooed ladies (pictured) celebrate Christmas Day on Sydney’s Bondi beach
Santa Claus hats and red and green bikinis (pictured) proved very popular on Christmas Day
Hobart: 25C max, partly cloudy
Adelaide: 32C max, sunny
Perth: 30C max, sunny
Brisbane: 29C max, partly cloudy and a medium chance of showers and a possible thunderstorm
Hot weather in Sydney has seen people flock to Bondi beach (pictured) in the east of the city
People are pictured enjoying the morning sunshine on Christmas Day at the main beach in Lennox Head
Sydney’s internationally renowned Bondi beach (pictured) was packed on Christmas Day
A woman is pictured taking a Christmas Day selfie on the beach with the sea behind her
Two women are pictured on the boardwalk at St Kilda beach in Melbourne on Christmas Day
A group of revellers is pictured on the grass by Sydney’s Coogee beach on Christmas Day