Manda York (Front) and Lauren Caverley (Back) trying to cool down by going for a swim after work as temperatures reached 36 degrees in Sydney. Photo / Christian Gilles, News Ltd
The mercury hit 37C yesterday with an expected high of 38C today.
The hot night prompted plenty of reaction on social media, with some remarking it is standard Sydney for this time of year.
#sydney whiners, you get one or two days of 35 plus and you cry. Cut it out sincerely yours Darwin NT #AllYearRound#heatwave
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) December 12, 2016
But it wasn't just Sydney which felt the heat yesterday.
A blast of hot weather across Australia's southeast also left Canberra, Adelaide and Melbourne all sweltering together for the first time in more than half a century.
Temperatures peaked above 33C in all four capital cities yesterday - the first time in 51 years, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Hot, dry winds drawn down from Northern Australia drove the mercury higher, sparking fire bans in NSW, South Australia and Victoria.
Sydney's CBD sizzled at a high of 37.8C - nearly 13 degrees above the city's long-term average for December - while at Penrith, in the city's west, the mercury surged to 39.4C.
About 800 people had flocked to the Aquatic Centre at Sydney Olympic Park in the city's west before lunchtime to seek relief from the city's hottest December day since 2005.
Sydney's beaches were still busy well into last night. Photo / Christian Gille, News Ltd
In Melbourne, temperatures leapt above the forecast maximum of 34C to reach 36.1C shortly after 4pm.
Adelaide was a touch hotter at 35.6C, while Canberra hit 33.9C.
Cool winds brought relief for Melbourne with temperatures hovering between 20C and 23C for the next few days.
Adelaide is also tipped for a cooler day today with a high of 23C expected today and 25C tomorrow.
Fire danger
Meanwhile, around 40 fires were still burning across NSW, including two large blazes which threatened dozens of homes near the towns of Abermain and neighbouring Neath, near Cessnock in the Hunter Region.
At least 70 firefighters were on the ground while water bombing helicopters helped from above.
With hot and windy conditions forecast to continue, total fire bans have been declared for the greater Sydney region, Illawarra/Shoalhaven, Upper Central West Plains and Lower Central West Plains today.
However, fire bans that were in place across northern Victoria and most of South Australia are expected to be lifted today.
The SA Country Fire Service said that the threat posed by a fire on 3300 hectares of land near the Nullarbor Roadhouse on the Eyre Highway had reduced.
