It was another sweaty August night across Wollongong with the temperature warmer at 6am on Wednesday than Tuesday’s maximum.
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Residents woke on Wednesday to temperatures which were almost 20 degrees above average for this time of year in some parts of the Illawarra.
Data from the Bureau of Meteorology shows the temperature at Wollongong’s Bellambi weather station dropped to a low of 17.1 degrees at 2.43am, before topping 23.3 degrees at 6.12am.
The long-term average August minimum for Bellambi is 10.6 degrees. Tuesday’s maximum in the city was 21 degrees.
Elsewhere, it was even warmer overnight – the temperature was 25.6 degrees in Albion Park at 4.51am. Kiama was 25.1 degrees at 5.30am.
To put the high overnight lows into perspective, Albion Park’s long-term average minimum for August is 6.5 degrees.
The balmy temperatures are caused by wind stirring up residual warm air from Tuesday, although the smoky haze caused by hazard reduction burns earlier this week has largely cleared.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds is current for the Illawarra as a cold front approaches.
Winds averaging 60 to 70km/h, with gusts in excess of 90km/h are expected across much of the Illawarra on Wednesday.
A westerly wind gust of 82km/h was recorded at Bellambi at 6.51am, while a 74km/h gust was felt in Albion Park at 7.52am.
A gale warning is current for the Illawarra and Batemans coasts on Wednesday.
The temperature is forecast to reach a top of 22 degrees in Wollongong on Wednesday but a cool wind will bring lower overnight temperatures followed by a warm day on Thursday with 22 degrees expected.
Data from the bureau shows the temperature will struggle to rise above 18 degrees for the latter part of the week.
Saturday’s forecast maximum is just 16 degrees, with the slight chance of a shower.