Large parts of NSW are set to swelter through more severe temperatures as another heatwave sweeps the state.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued warnings across almost all of the state, including Sydney and other coastal areas, with maximum temperatures expected to edge towards 40C in the coming days.
“Maximum temperatures in the high thirties and low forties, reaching the high twenties to mid thirties over higher terrain,” the BOM forecast.
“Overnight minimum temperatures in the low to mid twenties, reaching the high teens to low twenties over higher terrain.”
Low-intensity heatwave conditions were forecast for about two-thirds of NSW starting from last Sunday, with pockets of severe conditions in the central-west.
But that heat is moving eastwards, expected to impact towns and cities across almost the entire NSW coast — as well as southeast Queensland — from Wednesday.
Severe conditions are forecast for some northern rivers communities and farther south around Batemans Bay.
Temperatures will begin climbing from Wednesday in Western Sydney, an infamous urban “heat island”, with spikes on Thursday and Saturday.
A maximum temperature of 39C is expected in the western suburb of Penrith on Thursday and 38C on Saturday.
In Blacktown, temperatures are forecast to reach 39C and 37C those days and, in Campbelltown, 39C and 36C.
A heatwave is also expected to consume the far north of Australia from Wednesday, with warnings across large parts of WA, the NT and northern Queensland.
Low-intensity to severe heatwave conditions are forecast to spread across the top half of the NT and extend into northern WA and Queensland.
Extreme heatwave conditions are expected to develop for parts of the Kimberley coast.
“Maximum temperatures across the Kimberley increasing from the low to mid forties, to mid forties through inland areas over the next few days,” the BOM said on Tuesday.
“Overnight minimum temperatures across the Kimberley in the mid to high twenties, reaching the low thirties over eastern parts.”
Severe heatwaves can be dangerous, and particularly so for older people, babies and children, pregnant and breastfeeding people and people with health conditions, the BOM warned.
Health experts urged Aussies impacted by the heatwave to seek places to keep cool, including local libraries, community centres and shopping centres.
The fresh warnings come after temperatures in Sydney edged towards the mid-40s on Saturday.
The temperature at Sydney Airport climbed to 43C by 1pm, while the mercury at Sydney Olympic Park peaked at 42.5C at 3pm and Penrith, 42.9C at 4pm.