Beach safety warnings for Sydney as heatwave hits after spate of drownings

Night temperatures, which reached a low of 22 degrees at Observatory Hill on Saturday night, are expected to be similar on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday night.

“It’ll certainly be another warm couple of days and nights in Sydney, Tuesday night will probably be a very warm one but we’re expecting a cooler change to move through on Wednesday,” Helen Kirkup, a meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said.

“It’ll start in the south-west of the state and move eastward ... it’s expected to move across Sydney late on Wednesday.”

Dr Kirkup said surf conditions aren’t expected to be especially hazardous over the long weekend but said people should swim at patrolled beaches and monitor conditions carefully if they’re fishing or standing on rock platforms near the water.

Surf Life Saving NSW chief Steven Pearce said this long weekend is one of the busiest periods for lifesavers and lifeguards.

“Australia Day is one of the busiest days of the year on our beaches and is always a big day for our volunteer surf lifesavers and lifeguards. With hot conditions and large swells forecast, we have a very simple message for anyone heading to the coast,” he said.

“Enjoy the weekend but make sure that if you’re heading to the beach, go to a patrolled location and only swim between the red and yellow flags.”

At least four people have drowned this week, including three people in Port Kembla who are believed to have been rock fishing when a large wave hit the rock platform and one man in Coffs Harbour, who was swept off a breakwall.

A fifth body was also recovered by Water Police in Newcastle Harbour on Saturday night, and the circumstances around the death are being investigated by NSW Police.