Sydney, NSW coast bracing for gale winds
Sydney and a large part of NSW's coastline are set to be whipped by wild winds, with hazardous surf conditions also expected.
The Bureau of Meteorology on Monday issued a severe weather warning for areas between Batemans Bay and Forster, as well as the Eden coast.
Damaging winds with gusts of up to 90km/h are forecast, particularly coastal areas facing south.
Conditions are expected to be at their worst on Monday afternoon and into the night.
The vigorous south-westerly winds are being driven by a deep low pressure system over the Tasman Sea and a high centred in the Bight.
Just before midday on Monday, Sydney Harbour recorded gusts of 63km/h, while Bega on the South Coast felt gusts of 76km/h.
Bureau meteorologist Helen Reid said windy conditions would persist until Wednesday at earliest, but would ease sooner inland - where firefighters are battling out-of-control fires near Armidale, Tenterfield and Clarence Valley.
"Whilst the driving low-pressure system is moving further east, the coastal parts will still have a fairly fresh gusty southerly airflow," she told AAP.
"Conditions over the land will be easing and not quite so windy, but (we'll) need to be careful."
Hazardous surf warnings have also been issued for much of the NSW coast, with people encouraged to stay out of the water.
"Swell conditions will take a little bit longer to decrease," Ms Reid said.
