Hot weather records have begun to tumble in NSW as a powerful front moves across south-east Australia.<\/p>\n
Sydney was slated to see its hottest October day on record, but temperatures did not top the predicted 39 degrees Celsius at Observatory Hill.<\/p>\n
By 2pm, Richmond and Parramatta were close to hitting the forecast top sitting at 38.7C, with Sydney’s Observatory Hill about 36C.<\/p>\n
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People flocked to Parramatta Lake in Western Sydney to cool off from the hot weather. (ABC News: Nandini Dhir)<\/p>\n
Maximum October temperature records were broken in western parts of the city, where it hit about 40C in Penrith and Bankstown.<\/p>\n
Senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) Dean Narramore said the “sea breeze is holding on” at midday.<\/p>\n
“But it won’t last much longer,” he said.<\/p>\n
“We are seeing the western suburbs get into the high 30s, even Olympic Park getting to around 36 degrees.<\/p>\n
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The fire danger level has been marked as extreme in Muswellbrook in the NSW Upper Hunter. (ABC News: Courtney Yeandle)<\/p>\n
“Bathurst, Lithgow, out through there, they are seeing temperatures jump up, as well as winds increase and push the heat towards the coast.”<\/p>\n
He said the BOM had seen wind gusts over 100 kilometres per hour at Bombala, with more expected in the Illawarra, Blue Mountains and western suburbs later on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Droves of Sydneysiders headed to the beach amid the hot conditions, though the north-westerly was carrying all that hot air towards the coast.<\/p>\n
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The BOM says the sea breeze will not bring relief by the afternoon. (ABC News: Abbey Haberecht)<\/p>\n
It comes after households across central and western NSW suffered through a sweaty night’s sleep with some towns recording overnight minimums as much as 17C above average for October.<\/p>\n
Numerous locations set a new record for this time of year, including Williamtown, Gosford, Mangrove and Terrey Hills.<\/p>\n
Trangie, west of Dubbo, set a spring record with a low of 28C \u2014 with the same temperature in Bourke and Walgett representing a new high for October since records began in the 1870s.<\/p>\n
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With temperatures rising, authorities are also on high alert for bushfires. (ABC News: Liam Patrick)<\/p>\n
In Taree, temperatures reached 40.7 degrees in the hottest October day for the regional town in 65 years.<\/p>\n
Director of a local roofing business, Kane Brown said the record temperatures led to some employees leaving early to escape the heat.<\/p>\n
“It got a bit hot for a few of the blokes who work for us,” Mr Brown said.<\/p>\n
“It basically feels like you’ve got sand in your mouth … it just takes your breath away.”<\/p>\n
Authorities on alert amid heightened bushfire risk<\/p>\n
The conditions mean out-of-control bushfires are possible in NSW, with wild winds likely to combine with dry lightning and temperatures well above average.<\/p>\n
There are about 35 fires burning across the state, with about nine burning uncontrolled at about 2:30pm on Wednesday. No blazes are burning at an emergency level.<\/p>\n
Total fire bans have been declared across several regions in NSW, with an extreme fire danger forecast for Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter, Illawarra\/Shoalhaven and the Upper Central West Plains.<\/p>\n
Damaging winds across the state’s south-east in the late afternoon and evening could prove the biggest challenge, with forecast gusts up to 100 kph in some parts.<\/p>\n
Thunderstorms are also anticipated, with experts concerned by the considerable risk of dry lightning igniting fires.<\/p>\n
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There are total fire bans across parts of NSW. (ABC News: Adriane Reardon, ABC South East NSW: Adriane Reardon)<\/p>\n
Rural Fire Service (RFS) Commissioner Trent Curtin said the risk would peak on Wednseday afternoon with the heat and strong winds converging.<\/p>\n
“As those winds come in we’re really worried about new ignitions around properties in NSW … we could very quickly see fires escalate,” he told ABC Sydney Afternoons<\/a>.<\/p>\n “We will be expecting to see some lightning but there won’t be much rain with that.”<\/p>\n Commissioner Curtin urged NSW residents to be fire aware and have plans in place.<\/p>\n