12.30pm: A severe weather warning for damaging winds has been issued for the Illawarra, as temperatures climb into the mid-30s on Thursday.
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Damaging winds averaging about 60 km/h, with peak gusts to 90 km/h, are forecast in areas of the region, particularly higher parts.
A westerly wind gust of 76km/h was recorded at the Albion Park weather station at 11.44am. A north-westerly gust of 57km/h hit Bellambi Point about 12.10pm.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology, a trough of low pressure was crossing southeast NSW on Thursday morning, accompanied by a vigorous west to northwesterly airstream.
A sunny Thursday is forecast for Wollongong, with north to northwesterly winds of 25 to 35 km/h ahead of a gusty, cool southerly change during the afternoon.
Maximums of 34 and 32 degrees are expected in Wollongong and Albion Park, respectively.
At noon, it was already 33.9 degrees at Bellambi Point and 34.5 degrees at Albion Park.
No total fire ban is in place for the Illawarra/Shoalhaven fire zone on Thursday, however the region is a very-high fire danger area.
10.45am: The mercury is slowly creeping up with Illawarra temperatures expected to peak at 34 degrees on Thursday.
Many of Sydney's commuters had a sweltering journey to work today, but it's likely to be much hotter on the journey home as temperatures soar towards the high 30s ahead of a late cool change.
Sydney had its warmest November night in four years, with the temperature this side of midnight dipping to 23.5 degrees before bouncing back.
By just after 8.30am, the mercury had already reached 31.6 degrees on the way to a forecast top of 38 degrees.
"40 [degrees] is a very outside chance," Brett Dutschke, a senior meteorologist with Weatherzone, said.
It's likely that there will only be weak sea breezes through the day, with Bondi's expected top of 36 degrees not far behind the maximums expected of about 38 degrees across the Sydney Basin.
Areas to Sydney's north have a better chance of exceeding 40 degrees, according to the Bureau of Meteorology:
A strong southerly change will probably arrive in the city's southern suburbs by about 4pm and could take as long as two hours to reach north-western parts of Sydney, Mr Dutschke said.
"It may not get to Campbelltown until after 5, and Richmond area until near 6," he said.
While the change may not be as strong as last Friday's - after Sydney's top reached 40.9 degrees - it is likely to be bringing wind gusts of 70-80km/h, Mr Dutschke said.
Fire dangers will be severe for much of the region, the bureau said in a fire warning alert.
Total fire bans are in place for the Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter, northern slopes and north-western regions of NSW, the Rural Fire Service said.
There is only a small chance of a shower with the change, Mr Dutschke said.
Adding to the day's torments, pollen levels are likely to be extreme today for hayfever sufferers, Weatherzone said.
Weatherzone is owned by Fairfax Media, publisher of this website.