Storms and strong winds lash parts of NSW after day of blistering heat
Strong winds and thunderstorms have lashed Sydney and other parts of NSW after parts of the state topped 40 degrees.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned of possible damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall this afternoon but by 9pm the worst of the weather had passed over most of the state.
Wind gusts of almost 100km/h were recorded in some parts as the storms caused rapid drops in temperature.
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The weather warning issued for NSW. Nine
The temperature at Sydney Airport quickly dropped from a high of 42 degrees to 24 degrees in just under two hours.
At Holsworthy, it plummeted from 41 degrees to 32 degrees in just 19 minutes.
In Sydney's south-west, Bankstown peaked at 41 and Penrith hit 42.
Intense winds chased the heat away as they lashed parts of the state including Gosford, Sydney, Wollongong, The Entrance, Woy Woy and Bulli.
Molineux Point in Botany Bay and Wattamolla on the coast just south of the city copped gusts of 90km/h or more.
Parts of the Central East such as Scone and Maitland were the only areas expected to cop thunderstorms late into the night, possibly bringing damaging winds and heavy rainfall leading to flash flooding.
As storms pushed towards Bondi and Manly before 5pm, Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Sarah Scully said while temperatures were cooling it wouldn't put an end to the severe weather just yet.
Large parts of NSW are in for scorching conditions today before a cooler change sweeps through. Windy.com
"We do have a southerly change that's expected to move up the east coast of NSW throughout the day ... but that is bringing potentially very damaging winds with it," Scully said.
"Also thunderstorms are expected with the change and they are potentially severe with heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hail all a risk ... the focus of the severe weather has shifted into NSW."
Penrith, Blacktown, Parramatta and Campbelltown will reach 41 degrees by 2pm. Sam Mooy
Parts of the state were earlier issued with severe and damaging wind warnings including parts of the Illawarra, Sydney and Hunter coasts.
The extremely hot conditions moved north from Victoria and Tasmania, which experienced similar heat over the past two days, the bureau said.
Severe heatwave conditions are forecast for the Sydney metropolitan area, Bourke, Camden, Cobar, Dubbo, Hornsby, Liverpool, Penrith, Richmond, Taree and Tamworth.
Elsewhere in coastal NSW, the temperature hit 37 degrees in Newcastle and the Central Coast and 36 in Wollongong before lunch.
Dubbo topped out at 41 degrees.
"That could also bring severe thunderstorms as well through parts of northern and eastern NSW, with large hail, damaging winds and heavy rainfall," bureau senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said earlier today.
The heat over southern Australia is expected to move north by early tomorrow, bringing a welcome drop in temperatures in NSW, Victoria and South Australia.
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