Brisbane's most likely to see rain; Melbourne, Canberra and Hobart will be the coolest; Darwin will be the hottest—no surprises there.

It's been a north-south divide for December so far, with warmer than average-to-downright hot temperatures for Brisbane, Sydney, Darwin and Perth and persistent cool days in Adelaide and Melbourne. That reflects the large-scale weather patterns that have seen troughs sending cooler air and cloud over southern coasts, while feeding heat over areas further north even if said heat has often been humid and stormy. 

This New Year's Eve will be more of the same for Melbourne, which will drop to below 20°C by early evening. Adelaide will start warmer but will drop to the mid-teens by midnight. Sydney will reverse its pattern for the month with a cooler southerly wind change that wafted in early Saturday morning taking hold Saturday night and Sunday. The NSW capital can expect largely cloudy skies but only the low chance of a shower or two for the evening.

Further north, Brisbane will get a reprieve from the recent heat as the change gets there, expecting a maximum temperature in the low instead of high thirties on Sunday, but showers are likely and storms possible, especially in the afternoon and evening.

Darwin's also been suffering through a heatwave, and theirs is about to get more intense. Temperatures for inland satellite suburbs will nudge 38°C in coming days. Combined with the Top End humidity, that will feel like the mid-forties.

Perth and often forgotten inland honourary capital, Alice Springs might be the best places to be, weather-wise. Both are expected to have dry days in the mid-thirties, with balmy temperatures in the low to mid-twenties around midnight.

The best fireworks though could be not in the famous Sydney but rather in Darwin. If last year's Territory Day celebrations are anything to go by, the backdrop of the Timor Sea is as scenic as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the crowds non-existent.  

Image: Fireworks for Territory Day, 2022 at Casuarina Beach. Photo: Miskelly 

In summary, the current forecast daytime maxima and following overnight minimum for the nation's state and territory capitals and Alice Springs are: 

Sydney 24, 19. Averages are 25.3, 17.6 

Melbourne 21, 13, Averages are 24.2, 13.0 

Canberra 22, 11, Averages are 27.2, 11.9 

Brisbane 31, 23, Averages are 29.6, 20.5 

Adelaide 26, 14, Average are 26.9, 15.1 

Darwin 35, 28, Averages are 32.7, 25.3 

Perth 31, 18 Averages are 29.4, 16.5 

Hobart 23, 12, Averages are 20.4, 10.9 

Alice Springs, 37, 17, Averages are 35.5, 20.3 

If you're a stickler for exact temperature numbers, check the latest forecasts at: https://www.weatherzone.com.au/ 

Image: Forecast temperature and rain in previous 6 hours for 11pm Sunday 31st according to the EC model.