Soaring temperatures, high winds prompt high fire danger warning for Sydney

Soaring temperatures and damaging winds forecast for today have triggered a high fire danger warning for the Greater Sydney region and other parts of New South Wales.

The mercury is expected to hit a maximum of 29 degrees in Sydney, bringing a welcome taste of summer weather for millions of people as winter bows out.

But the unusual heat and strong winds on the city fringes of the city have prompted the NSW Rural Fire Service to set the fire danger as "high" for today.

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The Bureau of Meteorology has also issued a "severe" weather warning for damaging winds sweeping across south-eastern NSW over coming hours.

The Illawarra region, parts of the South Coast, the Central and Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains, Australian Capital Territory and South West Slopes districts will be impacted.

Gusts are forecast to average 60km/h to 70km/h through the morning, but peak wind speeds could reach 125km/h.

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The Illawarra and southwestern regions also have a high fire danger warning.

Sydney got an unwelcome taste of the potential for a late winter fire on Wednesday when a grassfire reached emergency level in the city's south-west before being put out.

Meanwhile, residents in central Victoria are waking to a windy day as a strong cold front sweeps through.

In an update today, the bureau said large parts of the Gippsland region and alpine areas including Falls Creek will be hit by the wild weather.

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Wild winds leave path of destruction across southeastern states

Gusts averaging 60km/h are forecast but they are likely to exceed 100km/h at their peak.

The damaging winds in both states are expected to temporarily ease by this afternoon.