Sydney marathon runners warned about heat as above average warmth affects south-east Australia

Bureau of Meteorology forecasts warm weather to remain over coming days, with Sydney set to reach 30C and Melbourne 24C

• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

Marathon runners are expected to swelter on Sunday, with temperatures again set to hit 30C in Sydney on an unseasonably warm weekend across the east coast.

More than 17,000 runners has registered for the Sydney Marathon, the most runners it has ever hosted and making it the largest marathon in the country. But the event coincides with a surge of heat that is expected to see temperatures between 10C and 12C above average in Sydney until Tuesday night.

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup