Cloudy skies did little to ease the searing heat which continued to bake the capital on Sunday, as Canberrans did their best to keep cool and braced themselves for a string of sweltering days to come.
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The mercury crept to a high of 31.3 degrees - slightly cooler than the top of 34 degrees predicted - about 1.30pm before it was expected to drop to a still-warm 15 degrees overnight.
Like many families, Latham couple John and Loren Love, with children Kabe, 3, and Mae, 1, did their best to stay cool in their own backyard.
"There have been lots of icy poles, time under the sprinkler and in the pool," Mrs Love said.
Sunday's scorcher followed Saturday's top of 32.4 degrees and signalled heat wave conditions forecast to stick around for the coming week.
The ACT and part of NSW are set to sweat due to a high-pressure system in the Tasman Sea and northerly winds pulling a hot air mass from the centre of Australia.
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Ash Lange said Monday was expected to reach 35 degrees in the territory with a chance of an afternoon shower or thunderstorm possibly bringing a tiny drop in temperature.
That would be followed by a top of 33 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday, before temperatures dipped to 30 degrees on Thursday. The hot weather would be back on Friday, with a top of 37 degrees predicted.
Night-time was expected to bring little relief, with a minimum of 19 degrees predicted overnight on Monday and Tuesday and a low of 20 degrees on Wednesday. Thursday's temperature would drop to 15 degrees.
While parts of north-west NSW were copping the worst of the heat, with highs above 40 degrees, ACT residents who fled the city for the beach would likely find some relief. Temperatures along the NSW south coast were expected to hover in the high-20s this week.
January has yet to best December's highest temperature of 34 degrees, while the heatwave predictions are far from the hottest January day on record: a 41.6 degree scorcher in 2013.
Emergency services this week encouraged residents to drink plenty of fluids and avoid staying out in the sun for prolonged periods.
