Sydney is set to swelter through the hottest September day in three years as warmer weather spreads across Australia.
The city is forecast to reach highs of 32C on Wednesday, the warmest day for Sydneysiders since February.
But windy conditions mean it’s the first day of the season with total fire bans in place across large swathes of NSW.
‘It’s the warmest September day for Sydney in three years,’ Weatherzone meteorologist Rob Sharpe told Daily Mail Australia.
Sydney is set to swelter through the hottest September day in three years on Wednesday. Above, a man at Bondi Beach on Tuesday
‘But today is also going to quite windy as well, so there’s a fire ban in four regions of NSW.’
However, Mr Sharp adds that Wednesday’s warmer weather is a ‘one-off’ and temperatures will cool significantly by Thursday.
‘Tomorrow is going to be 14 degrees cooler than today, so a maximum of 18C,’ he said.
‘Today’s a one-off for Sydney, and we will experience a cooling change this evening.’
The hot and windy conditions are keeping firefighters on alert with total fire bans are in place across large swathes of northern and eastern NSW.
The Rural Fire Service (RFS) has declared four regions as having a severe fire danger on Wednesday including Greater Sydney Region, Greater Hunter, North Coast and North Western regions.
Forecasters say temperatures are set to peak at 32C in Sydney on Wednesday
‘It’s the warmest September day for Sydney in three years,’ Weatherzone meteorologist Rob Sharpe told Daily Mail Australia
Temperatures in the mid-30s combined with strong north-westerly winds mean conditions will be challenging, RFS Inspector Ben Shepherd told AAP.
Winds are forecast to reach 40-50km/h with gusts up to 70km/h.
‘More than 70 fires are burning across the state, with 20 of them uncontained, and we will be monitoring all of them,’ Insp Shepherd said.
More than 100 firefighters fought a fire in Sydney’s northern suburb of Beacon Hill on Tuesday afternoon and hope to strengthen containment lines ahead of Wednesday.
The fire threatened dozens of properties but crews managed to keep it at bay with the help of water-bombing aircraft.
A woman takes a dip in the Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach as warmer weather hit the city
Sydneysiders flocked to Bondi Beach on Tuesday as the city saw its first glimpse of warmer weather
As the fire season kicks into gear, all NSW residents are being urged to clean up and maintain their properties and have a fire plan in place. Meanwhile, Queensland residents are being urged to get bushfire ready.
A very high or severe fire rating is in place for much of the state as high temperatures and gusty winds make for high-risk conditions.
The mercury is expected to reach 34C in Ipswich on Wednesday, eight degrees above the September average.
A couple are seen playing in the water at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Tuesday
Wednesday’s warm weather is a ‘one-off’ and temperatures will cool significantly by Thursday
Queensland Fire and Emergency Services’ Rural Operations acting director James Haig said the warm weather, low humidity and winds were making for dangerous fire conditions.
Mr Haig said it was being compounded by widespread vegetation growth earlier in the year, which had since dried out.
‘There’s a lot of fuel around and then we’re also getting very dry conditions,’ he told AAP.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s fire danger rating shows about half of Queensland will be on a very high or severe alert on Wednesday.
That is expected to increase on Thursday, with much of the state on a very high or severe alert and the rest on high.