A low pressure system is due to form off the NSW coast, as a cold front moves over the Tasman Sea, bringing showers and gale force winds to the Illawarra from Tuesday afternoon. 

A severe weather warning for damaging winds has been issued for the Illawarra and South Coast.

Winds reaching up to 70 kilometres an hour, with peak gusts in excess of 90km/h, are possible along the coastal fringe from Wollongong to the Victorian border from early on Tuesday afternoon.

A 57km/h west-southwesterly wind gust was recorded at Albion Park at 9.38am, while a westerly gust of 43km/h was felt at Bellambi just after 6.30am.

The bureau says there’s a high chance of showers in Wollongong on Tuesday, most likely during the afternoon and evening.

The low is expected to remain near the coast on Wednesday, meaning wet and windy conditions will hang around in Wollongong.

Wednesday is tipped to be the wettest day associated with this weather system; the bureau says between 50 and 100 millimetres could fall in most coastal parts of the region. 

Weatherzone’s Wednesday rainfall prediction is for 10 to 20 millimetres. 

The low should move east from Thursday onwards, as a large high approaches from the west.

Sheep graziers in parts of the South Coast have been warned of cold temperatures, showers and strong southwesterly winds during Tuesday. 

“There is a risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to these conditions,” the bureau said.

A gale warning is current for the Illawarra, Batemans and Eden coasts on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Tuesday, seas of 1.5 to 2 metres will reach 2.5 to 3 metres about noon, before increasing to 3 – 4 metres by early evening.

Wednesday’s coastal forecast predicts seas of 3 to 4 metres, decreasing to 2 – 3 metres during the morning.