Sydney suffers through record heatwave not seen in 165 years

Sydney has set a new weather record after temperatures soared above 30C for four consecutive days in March – the first time such an event has occurred in 165 years.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecast Sydney would reach a top of 30C on Sunday, while Penrith was set to swelter in 40C heat.

Richmond and Blacktown were also forecast to reach 39C.

The high temperatures are being caused by a low intensity heatwave spreading across the region that also includes some parts of southeast Queensland.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Felim Hannify told NCA NewsWire the last time Sydney recorded such high temperatures in March was in 1878.

At that time, temperatures above 30C were recorded for three consecutive days.

‘It’s a record never seen previously,’ Mr Hannify said.

‘A lot of people were nervous about the outlook changing to El Nino later in the year but we’re already seeing an imprint of those temperatures.’

The Observatory Hill station near the southern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge has recorded March’s average is 2C above the previous record of 27.1 degrees from 2006.

The Bureau forecasts there will be isolated gusty thunderstorms with little or no rainfall possible about the Southern Ranges and slopes in New South Wales.

It warns these conditions may exacerbate already elevated fire dangers due to ongoing hot, dry conditions in the region.

Large areas of Victoria have already seen bushfires but a cooler day on Sunday saw residents on the Surf Coast and in the alpine region advised the threat had lessened. 

Sky News Australia meteorologist Rob Sharpe said New South Wales residents can also soon expect a cool change.

The hot weather has lead to high bushfire dangers in NSW with Victoria already seeing large areas set ablaze 

‘Wet weather is going to pick up again,’ he said.

‘A cool change is crossing Victoria, Tasmania and up the New South Wales coastline, it reaches Sydney on Sunday evening.

‘By Monday it’s notably cooler for the New South Wales coast.

‘We’re not going to see this type of heat again until we get to at least springtime.’

Mr Sharpe said while central and western parts of the state will continue to see high temperatures, rain is forecast for the coming week.

‘We’re going to continue to see showers on an almost daily basis out through the east right through much of next week, so get ready for the wet weather,’ he said.

‘Despite the fact La Nina is done doesn’t mean the end of the wet weather just yet.’

Mr Hannify said the system that saw temperatures reach 43 in some parts of the interior west on Saturday will continue to move towards the coast.

Sydneysiders try to find some relief from the run of hot Sydney days at Bronte Beach in the city’s east

‘Temperatures rose again today we had that weather system coming over the southern part of New South Wales,’ he said.

‘It’s dragging that heat further east today, that’s why you’re getting near 40s in the western suburbs because it’s dragged closer to the coast today.’

Meanwhile, Melbourne is forecast to reach a top of 21 degrees on Sunday, which is about three degrees cooler than the March average.

Brisbane is forecast to reach a top of 32 degrees on Sunday.

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