Sydney weather: When heatwave will end as temperatures hit 40C

An unusually hot autumn sweeping Sydney will keep residents sweltering at least until Wednesday, amid warnings that high air conditioner usage could trigger blackouts.

A burst of heat at the end of the season in NSW sent the mercury reaching 40°C in some parts of the Harbor City – at the airport and Penrith. It was the first time since November 2020 that the mercury had cracked 38C.

The stinking hot weather will continue all night in Sydney, with temperatures still expected to hover around 30°C at 9pm and possibly around 20°C at midnight.

The lingering heat could strain the state’s energy supply as people come home from work and turn on air conditioners and fans for lighting.

On Tuesday the mercury drops slightly to 34C, with temperatures will remain in the high 20s for the rest of the week, and possible showers predicted on Saturday.

However, a cooler southerly wind is expected to reach the city on Wednesday.

At 11am AEDT on Monday, the temperature in western Sydney was already 34°C, at the airport 33°C and in the city just over 31°C.

But the state’s highest temperature at the time recorded was 35.8C in Bourke, in the state’s northwest.

Temperatures will continue to rise and should peak around 38C in central Sydney and as high as 40C in some suburbs.

Monday’s scorching and windy weather also contributed to heightened fire hazard warnings across the state.

There were already 37 fires in the state as of 11 a.m., and seven of the state’s 21 fire districts were on total fire bans through midnight Monday.