The Bureau of Meteorology is painting a grim picture of a hot, dry summer in the south coast.

The warning came on top of the Climate Centre’s prediction of a 70 per cent likelihood of an El Nino event, bringing dry conditions to eastern Australia over the next three months.

The bureau’s duty forecaster, Sean Carson, said above average temperatures during spring had been a precursor to what was ahead.

He said rainfall will also be below average.

”Well it’s saying that the odds being above average in terms of temperature are as about as strong as they get,” Mr Carson said.

”They point to about a 70 per cent chance of exceeding those normal temperatures this summer and that is really a continuation of what we have seen through spring so nothing is really changing there.

”Unfortunately our rainfall is likely to be on the low side of, I guess, the average as well which is not good with those odds fairly strong.’ 

But despite the try outlook, Mr Carson said people should batten down as storms sweep through the area this week. 

”By the time we get to Friday I think everyone is going to have a good drink because storms are likely,” he said. 

”Like clockwork, for every afternoon for the next several days with fairly heavy warm and humid conditions and then it really ramps up through Wednesday and Thursday so warm north easterly winds and strong wind warnings for coastal waters with north easterly winds getting up to 30 knots.”

– Weatherzone/ABC