Still hot here - it's almost 11pm.

I went for a walk 9pm & it was still hot & humid, then the southerly hit while I was walking back. I had told a shopkeeper that the forecast for the southerly was strong gusts so he said he would roll up his awning. I hope he did cos the wind was really blowing stuff about & I was glad to get home. One of the cafes had a huge well-weighted umbrella blewn over knocking over chairs & tables & scaring nearby folks. It was very exciting from my vantage point 20 feet away, I'm glad I wasn't closer. Planes are being diverted from the airport & powerlines are down, etc. Other fires have started.

The temperature here is now in the low 20's, but it's still hot inside my place.

The Central Coast fires are growing. The highways are closed as fires are on both sides of the road, and also in the middle of the dual carriageways in some places.

Our Local Radio, part of our National Broadcaster, has fantastic coverage - constant reports from Weather Bureau, Rural Fire Service & residents.

Sydney's hottest New Years Day on record

Current weather

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