Some West Australians are sweltering through extreme heat, with parts of the state's north forecast to reach more than 50C.
The Pilbara is expected to hit those intense temperatures either on the weekend or early next week, according to private forecaster Weatherzone.
The hottest Australian temperature ever recorded was 50.7C in the Pilbara town of Onslow on January 13 last year.
Weatherzone predicts that record could break due to a large mass of hot air hovering over the region.
"This air mass has the potential to be hotter than usual, even by the Pilbara’s standards, due to enhanced warming from a phenomenon called subsidence," the weather site said.
Australia has only registered official temperatures above 50C on seven occasions.
The Bureau of Meteorology has slightly more conservative forecasts for WA's far north but temperatures are still expected to hit the high 40s.
An official heatwave warning was issued on Thursday for the most of the state, except Perth and the southern regions.
The Pilbara is on an extreme heatwave warning, while a severe heatwave is forecast for the Gascoyne, Goldfields, North Interior and South Interior districts.
A low-intensity heatwave is also forecast for the western half of South Australia, with temperatures to reach the low to mid-40s in the coming days.
The Northwest Pastoral region could also reach extreme heatwave levels from Sunday, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
Residents in those areas have been advised to seek a cool place to stay, such as a home, library, community centre or shopping centre.
If at home, close the windows and draw the blinds early in the day to keep the heat out, and use fans or air conditioners if available.
