From the hottest day since summer to a gloomy, cloudy, cool and wet day. Most of Sydney, the Hunter and Illawarra have just had their hottest day since last summer with temperatures nudging the mid-30s. These regions plus the central west and northwest of New South Wales also recorded their highest fire danger ratings since last summer. Fire Danger reached extreme in some areas as dry, gusty northwesterly winds combined with the heat. But within about 24 hours, on Friday, much of western, central and southern NSW will be 10-to-15 degrees cooler, much cloudier with some showers. The focus of the showers will be in the south and on the ranges, heaviest in the southeast. On Saturday the showers will be restricted to the coast and ranges as a low pressure system tracks across the state and off the coast. On Sunday most showers will have moved to the north coast and ranges and become light and infrequent. On the last day of the long-weekend showers will be on-and-off near the coast, but mainly just inland and about ranges as winds turn moist easterly.