The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather alert for damaging winds in the region and parts of the South Coast.

Vigorous west to northwesterly winds are expected with an approaching cold front, which is expected to cross the southeast of NSW late on Tuesday evening or early Wednesday.

Winds behind the front will shift west to southwesterly and moderate.

The bureau says damaging winds averaging 90km/h, with gusts in excess of 120km/h, are likely in alpine areas above 1900 metres on Tuesday.

Damaging wind gusts of more than 90 km/h are possible in areas below 1900 metres on Tuesday evening and during the early hours of Wednesday.

Read more: Visitors warned Wedding Cake Rock could collapse in ocean at any time

Blizzards are possible in alpine areas above 1400 metres.

Conditions are expected to gradually ease early on Wednesday morning.

Locations included within the bureau’s warning area include Wollongong, Nowra, Bowral, Katoomba, Goulburn and Bombala.

The wild winds will follow what was a warmer-than-expected day across much of the Illawarra on Tuesday.

Maximum temperatures at both Bellambi and Albion Park were about two degrees higher than the bureau’s initial forecast, with the mercury climbing to 22.1 and 22.6 degrees, respectively.

Forecast gusty winds aside, a relatively mild night has been forecast in Wollongong on Tuesday night. The temperature should drop to 10 degrees in the city and six degrees inland, before gradually warming to a top of 18 degrees on Wednesday.

At this stage, the only sign of any rain is on Friday, when a shower is possible. However, falls won’t be higher than about one millimetre.

Read more: Soon-to-close Dapto Bowling Club in dispute with futsal operator