Queensland to see hottest December day in four years

Residents in South East Queensland are being warned to prepare for the state's hottest December day in four years, as tens of thousands of homes remain without power. Temperatures in Brisbane reached 36 degrees on Thursday. with temperatures expected to rise further on Friday, before easing over the weekend. Up to 10,000 households in the state's southeast are expected to remain without power into the new year - prompting authorities to warn residents to seek shelter in public libraries and pools. The heatwave is also forecast to produce volatile storm conditions over the coming days, bringing further destructive winds and large hail on Saturday.