Beachgoers have flocked to the Illawarra coastline on Saturday as a heat trough causes temperatures to soar across parts of the country.
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Port Kembla Beach and ocean pool was packed with people and sun tents as temperatures across the region nudged towards 30 degrees.
Wollongong City lifeguards have extended patrol hours to help monitor the crowds for longer amid a record number of rescues and drownings along the NSW coast this summer.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast maximum temperatures in the low thirties in the Illawarra, with a chance of showers and storms developing on Saturday afternoon and evening.
Sunday is expected to be cloudy, with 20 to 30km/h southeasterly winds in the middle of the day.
Elsewhere, West Australian residents are sweltering through a severe heatwave, with temperatures soaring to the high 40s in northern parts of the state.
The Pilbara region hovered around 30C on Friday night, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning temperatures could rise to 48C in coming days.
A high fire danger rating has been issued for large parts of WA on Saturday, with residents told to be prepared.
"We have a heat trough stalling over that area," bureau meteorologist Miriam Bradbury told the ABC.
"It's a weather system which isn't going anywhere fast and the heat is really just circulating over the area, stagnating. We haven't had a strong system to clear it all.
"That heat over the past few days has started to slide south-eastwards towards South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and NSW."
That system has caused temperatures to rise in NSW and parts of southern Queensland, with forecasts in the low to mid 30s.
"We are going to see some relief about those southern and central NSW coastal areas tomorrow," Ms Bradbury said.
With AAP
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