Relief for sweltering Sydneysiders as southerly cool change sweeps through NSW

Sydneysiders are beginning to enjoy a cool reprieve from scorching heatwave conditions that saw temperatures breach 40 degrees, as a southerly wind change makes its way across New South Wales.

Temperatures in central Sydney have already started to dip, sitting at 27.8 degrees after peaking at 38.4 degrees at 2pm.

Sydney Airport is sitting at a cool 25 degrees as of 3pm after reaching 40.1 degrees just before 2pm.

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But the cool change is yet to reach the west, with Penrith recording 37.3 degrees at 3pm.

Elsewhere, several parts of the Hunter and mid-north coast have tipped over 40 and even 41 degrees, while the Illawarra and South Coast are already enjoying cooler conditions in the low 20s.

Temperatures in most parts of the state are expected drop by 10 to 15 degrees, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

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Heatwave conditions in Sydney and large parts of New South Wales continued earlier in the day, with the mercury climbing above 30 degrees by 9am.

The scorching conditions arrived after Sydney residents endured another muggy night, with temperatures of 25 degrees or more.

The city experienced west and northwesterly winds between 20km/h - 30km/h in the morning, before the southerly breeze arrived in the afternoon.

Richmond was the hottest place in Sydney at 9.30am with a recorded temperature of 35.1 degrees, followed by Gosford and Horsley Park at 34.6 and 34.3 respectively.

Regional NSW also experienced another scorcher today. Many towns and regional cities can expect temperatures in the low to mid-40s.

Several areas are expected to experience high fire danger and there is a total fire ban in place for the state's Hunter region.

Tomorrow, Sydney is forecast for a cloudy day with a top temperature of 27 degrees and the chance of showers.

Meanwhile, Queensland yesterday recorded its second-hottest temperature on record.

The mercury reached 49.4 degrees at Birdsville, in the state's southwest, just after 2.30pm.

That was just shy of the 49.5 degrees scorcher on Christmas Eve, 1972, which also occurred in Birdsville.

Meanwhile, Australia Day preparations and events have been cancelled in Adelaide after the South Australian city yesterday recorded its wettest January day in decades.

The relentless rain not seen since 1977 caused flooding and combined with plunging temperatures for an early taste of winter.