More moderate conditions are on offer Saturday, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting a high of 24 degrees in Wollongong and light south to south-easterly winds for the region.

Although blazing temperatures in the high 30s were originally on the cards, the bureau has scaled back the region’s likely maximum for Sunday to a more bearable 31 degrees. 

A hot and partly cloudy day is expected, with a strong chance of a thunderstorm later in the day.

Severe fire warnings remain in place for parts of NSW this weekend with sweltering temperatures and strong winds.

On Friday afternoon, there were 27 fires burning across the state, with 150 firefighters working on them.

Eight were uncontained, as temperatures topped 40 degrees in Sydney’s west.

The NSW Rural Fire Service issued a total fire ban for the Greater Sydney and Greater Hunter regions, Central Ranges, North Western and Upper Central West Plains on Friday.

RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers said there was no threat to properties but any new fires could spread quickly in the gusty conditions.