People across Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory are being urged to keep fluids up and stay in the shade or indoors as a severe heatwave forecast sets temperatures soaring this week.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe heatwave warning for a vast swathe of Queensland stretching from Coolangatta north to Townsville and across to the Northern Territory border.

The only areas of the state outside the warning zone are south-west Queensland and Cape York.

The warning also takes in most of the NT, including the Daly, Arnhem, Carpentaria, Gregory, Barkly, Lasseter and Tanami districts.

Parts of WA are also included, with BOM issuing an extreme heatwave warning for the Kimberley, Pilbara and north-interior districts, and a severe warning for the Gascoyne and WA’s south-interior.

The bureau said maximum temperatures would be in the low to mid-40s and overnight temperatures wouldn’t drop below the mid-20s in central and western Queensland from Tuesday.

On the east coast, temperatures will rise into the mid to high 30s during the day and won’t dip below the low 20s overnight.

“Temperatures will continue to rise later in the week, with heatwave conditions intensifying and extending in area,” the bureau said.

“Locations likely to be impacted include Brisbane metropolitan area, Croydon, Caboolture, Doomadgee, Esk, Hughenden and Mount Isa.”

Tweet from @BOM_Qld

Temperatures will also soar in central Australia, with Alice Springs forecast to reach 41 degrees on Tuesday and 42 degrees on Wednesday.

In the Top End, Darwin is also set to swelter, with a top of 35C degrees forecast for Tuesday and 34 degrees expected on Wednesday in humid conditions.

Timber Creek, near the Western Australian border, will be among the hottest places in the NT with maximum temperatures in the 40s, including 45 degrees on Friday, until Sunday.

In WA, there have already been days of temperatures in the low to mid-40s in the state’s north and interior regions, with overnight temperatures in the high 20s to low 30s.

“Heatwave conditions are expected to ease in the Gascoyne over the next couple of days and increase in intensity for northern parts over the coming week,” BOM said.

Forecaster Weatherzone said northern Australia was usually warm at this time of year, but this week’s temperatures were far higher than normal.

“Broadly speaking, we know that the climate is warming overall both globally and in Australia, and the northernmost parts of Australia experience much less temperature variation than southern parts of the country. So the underlying warming trend is reflected quite accurately up north,” it wrote.

“In terms of recent conditions, we can also attribute the influence unusually warm sea surface temperatures in Australia’s northern waters.”

The warning urged people to find a place to keep cool such as a home, library, community or shopping centre, close the blinds or curtains early to keep the heat out and use fans or air conditioners if possible.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk urged people to keep hydrated, stay sun safe and ensure their pets were comfortable as well.

“Stay safe, Queensland – it’s set to be a hot few days,” she tweeted on Tuesday.

Tweet from @BOM_au

Heatwave conditions are potentially dangerous for older, unwell, pregnant, breastfeeding and younger people, and babies, the bureau said.

Queensland Ambulance Service clinical director Tony Hucker said heat stress symptoms included feeling tired or having a headache, but often other people noticed such symptoms first.

“If you look at someone and [think] ‘gee they look really pink, they look flushed and don’t look really well’, or starting to exhibit some abnormal behaviour, you need to grab them and get them into a dark shaded spot or inside, [and] get them drinking,” he said in a recorded statement.

“If they cannot drink … that’s a sign to call Triple 0, that’s a dangerous sign. If people are vomiting and can’t keep fluid down they need medical help.”

NT Health has also issued a severe and extreme heat health alert, with residents and visitors urged to act to avoid heat stress and dehydration.

People across the NT are encouraged stay indoors in air-conditioning or seek out shady areas with a breeze and drink cold or iced water.

They’ve also been told to decrease physical activity, wear lightweight, light-coloured, loose clothing and a hat.

WA health authorities have also urged people to be prepared for this week’s heat.

-with AAP