WHILE temperatures in bushfire-ringed Sydney should hit 26C in the city and 30C in the west today, the outlook for Sunday is grim, with expectations of mid to high 30s right across the city, with extremely low humidity.

The biggest problem across NSW on Sunday would be the forecast high winds, NSW Rural Fire Services commissioner Phil Koperberg said.

Longer term weather models say it is going to be dry, warm and windy right through to the New Year, Don White of consultancy firm Weatherwatch said. “Thesituation could get nasty next week. The pattern we had this week could repeat itself from Sunday to Tuesday.”

The exceptionally dry air mass, with no cloud flowing up from a low pressure pattern south of Australia, is producing some unusual results.

As bushfire ash rained on Sydney yesterday, where temperatures were 4C below normal, snow settled on the peaks of the Snowy Mountains.

Canberra’s minimum yesterday of 2C was the coldest summer temperature in any capital city for 37 years. It also hit -4C in Thredbo. Melbourne had its coldest Boxing Day since 1924.

“The unusualness of it is that the patterns are what you would expect in early spring when temperatures are normally cooler,” Mr White said.

“The westerly winds are unusual in summer. If it has been dry before, they bring on a critical fire situation.”

The damage done

10 SHOPS AND OFFICES DESTROYED

ROADS CLOSED

Wiseman’s Ferry Rd at Spencer

Peats Ridge Rd at Somersby

F6 turnoff to Helensburgh

Princes Hwy from Heathcote Rd to Bulli Pass

Lawrence Hargrave Drive

Albatross Rd

Putty Rd from Upper Colo Rd to Packer Rd

Local roads in Warrimoo

Sliverdale Rd and Mulgoa Rd between Glenmore Park and Warragamba Dam

Train line south of Sutherland

Heathcote Rd between Princes Hwy and New lllawarra Rd