Showers and possible storms will sweep across Sydney on Tuesday afternoon, heralding a sharp drop in temperatures and some welcome relief from the heat when a powerful cool change arrives.
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The peak of the storms should be late afternoon, with the southerly buster moving in from the south from about an hour afterwards, Brett Dutschke, a senior meteorologist, said.
The storms are likely to bring the heaviest falls in the west, with rainfall declining as they move eastwards across the city, he said.
The main risk is likely to be damaging winds with brief periods of flash floods possible, he said. Any hail is likely to be small.
The rain will lower the mercury but temperatures "will drop pretty quickly" when the buster roars in, Mr Dutschke said.
The relief will be welcomed after Sydney reached 37 degrees just before 11am and lingered near that level for several hours, after another sultry night. The airport was among the hotter places in the city, reaching 38.5 degrees.
For now, the Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for a wide arc of the state, reaching from Tibooburra down to Gosford. The warning is for heavy rainfall and damaging winds.
Big heat returning
For Sydney, Tuesday marked the eighth time the city has reached at least 35 degrees this summer, the equal second-most on record for the season.
The record of nine such days was set in the summer of 1895-96, a level that may be matched or exceeded early next week - just as many students return to school.
For now the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting 32 degrees on Monday for the city, and 38 for parts of the west.
Tuesday should warmer again, with Sydney forecast by the bureau to reach 37 degrees while Penrith and Richmond may cop a scorching 43 degrees.
"Some schools might have to knock off early or have students stay inside for a large part of the day," Mr Dutschke said.
Before then, Sydney should have a mild couple of days before the mercury climbs to 30 degrees or beyond from Saturday.
On current forecasts, the city is likely to post its hottest January on record for minimum and mean temperatures, with maximums also a chance, Weatherzone meteorologists said.
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