While a cool change is expected to bring relief late on Tuesday or early Wednesday morning, he said Sydneysiders are in for another warm evening.

“It’s going to stay very warm well into the evening,” he said.

“Temperatures are still going to be in the mid to high 20s late in the evening. We’re going to get a cold southerly change coming through late in the evening, about midnight, and that will bring significant cooling.”

Across Sydney, the airport recorded 40.1 degrees and Bankstown recorded 39.5 degrees.

Agata Imielska, the Bureau of Meteorology’s manager of NSW and the ACT, said temperatures are expected to drop about 8 degrees when the cool change comes through.

“Temperatures will drop from the high 20s to lower 20s, it will be a bit humid and, because it’s arriving later, most of us won’t notice the cool conditions until tomorrow,” she said.

“Tomorrow morning, we’ll be waking up to distinctly cooler conditions.”

She said the change could also bring some showers.

Surf Life Saving NSW and NSW Ambulance have issued water safety warnings over the weekend, after a spate of drownings.

NSW Ambulance inspector Giles Buchanan said there have been 47 near-drownings since Friday.

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“That resulted in one death yesterday,” he said.

A snorkeller died on Sydney’s northern beaches on Monday after being pulled from the water at North Narrrabeen, becoming the sixth coastal fatality this year.

In a separate incident on Monday, another snorkeller went missing near Batemans Bay.

The search for the 39-year-old, who entered the water at Richmond Beach at about 3.30pm and was not seen again, continued on Tuesday morning.

Three rock fishermen died after being swept into the water by a large wave on Friday night in Port Kembla, another man drowned after being swept off a breakwall in Coffs Harbour and a Sydney mother-of-two died after attempting to rescue her son from a rip on NSW’s far South Coast on January 17.

“Please take extra care this Australia Day,” Surf Life Saving NSW Director of Lifesaving Joel Wiseman said.

“It’s vital you make the extra effort to swim at a patrolled location and do not swim if you’re drinking. We want everyone to have a great day, a safe day.

“By swimming between the red and yellow flags, you’re not only keeping your friends and family safe but also supporting our volunteers on the beach who are giving up their time to make sure you have a good day.”

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Beaches in Sydney’s east began to approach capacity on Tuesday morning, with Waverley Council advising that people avoid the north side of Bondi Beach, which was nearly full before 11.30am.

Several bushfires were also sparked on Tuesday, including a fire at the Booderee National Park in the Jervis Bay territory which was upgraded to Watch and Act.

There is no threat to property, but those in the area of the largely Indigenous community of Wreck Bay Village have been urged to follow their bushfire survival plan.

NSW RFS spokesperson Greg Allen said the national park had been closed, with firecrews evacuating campers.

The main concern for firefighters was if a southerly change kicks in later in the evening, pushing the fire towards the Jervis Bay Village.

Backburning is under way and a large air tanker has been deployed.