An intense heat trough over the country’s north-west may bring Australia’s first observation of 50-degree temperatures in 17 years, forecasters say.

The clean-up has begun after a severe hailstorm on Thursday battered parts of NSW, making whole neighbourhoods look like snowfields.

Another good beach day beckons for Sydney but not all stretches of sand are equal after the recent rains raise pollution risks.

Strong winds expected about parts of southeast New South Wales, including the wider Canberra region ahead of a cold front.

If you thought Sydney had been warm over the past year or so, you’d be right.

Canberra has enjoyed a run of beautiful sunshine and light breezy weather this week and those hoping for a clear weekend may be in luck with a forecast of gradual heating over the next five days.

Ongoing record warmth in the world’s oceans has increased the likelihood that 2014 will be declared the hottest year since reliable data began more than a century ago, US and Japanese agencies say.

A windswept Canberra is in for a milder and calmer end to the week with above-average temperatures forecast for the weekend.

The flow-on effects of Fiji's Tropical Cyclone Winston put a dampener on the last weekend of summer, bringing dangerous surfing conditions and closing many Sydney beaches.

A total fire ban has been cancelled after stormy weather brought rain to much of the Territory on Tuesday morning.

Sydney weather is tipped to warm for the weekend after a couple of milder days on Thursday and Friday. Peter Hannam reports.

Destination NSW's promise of a "warm country welcome" for visitors to Tibooburra has rarely rung as true, with the outback town ranked as the state's hottest place in what was the warmest year globally on record.

Thunderstorms may have drenched Sydney and other parts of the state but many parched regions of the state largely missed out.

A severe weather warning with winds averaging 60 to 70km/h has been issued for the Snowy Mountains and surrounding areas.

Lunchtime barbecues and beach plans on Christmas Day are looking good to go ahead, with sunshine and warm temperatures expected to hold out until the late afternoon. 

After a year of driving global temperatures to unprecedented warmth, the giant El Nino weather event in the Pacific is officially over, raising hopes that drought-hit regions may be in for some relief in Australia and elsewhere.

Unseasonal rains across central Australia are helping to fill Lake Eyre and are providing some unusual recreational activities for residents of Alice Springs.

More thunderstorms expected in the territory this week before a drenching of up 100 millimetres of rain.

Sydneysiders are again being hammered by thunderstorms as the latest storm cells bring rain and strong wind gusts to the city.

If you woke to the sound of thunder early this morning be prepared for it to continue throughout the day.