Sydney has just recorded its hottest day of the summer on the second last day of the season.

The city managed to climb above 33.4 degrees yesterday, making it the hottest day of the summer. It was only the second time this season that the city has experienced a day above 30 degrees.

The hot day follows a balmy night in Sydney, which saw the mercury only drop to 23 degrees, 4 above average. It was also the third consecutive night where the mercury remained more than three degrees above the long term average.

Western suburbs including Parramatta, Camden and Bankstown also felt the heat last night, staying as much as five degrees warmer than usual.

The high temperatures are the result of an approaching low pressure trough, which has been causing a warm northerly airflow to increase over eastern NSW. Last night, clouds over Sydney acted like a blanket trapping this heat at the surface. However, today there were enough breaks in the cloud to allow the mercury to soar.

Despite this late summer heat, the last day of the season will be wet and gloomy. Increased cloud cover, rain and a cooler souteasterly wind change will keep the city’s temperature at a near-average 26 degrees.

Heavy rain will also continue into the beginning of autumn, with wet weather expected to last at least until the weekend.

– Weatherzone