It was a pleasant start to the long weekend today in New South Wales, with almost constant sunshine east of the ranges. Sydney managed to reach a top of 17, average for June, but there were times when gusty winds made it feel like 12 degrees. A giant high is the most dominant weather feature in the country at the moment, directing cool and dry southerly winds across NSW. This did bring a particularly chilly morning to the Northern Rivers districts, with Lismore Airport even experiencing its lowest minimum in almost two years, one degree. The upside of these winds is that they keep skies free of cloud. However, as the high nudges east over the next few days, winds will tend more onshore, leading to patchy cloud and the odd shower, especially for the Hunter and Northern Rivers coastlines. For those wanting to spend the rest of their short holiday in the sun, the NSW South Coast will offer the best chance, with mostly blue skies from the mountains to the sea. The only problem is that temperatures will stay around 14 or 15 degrees, a far cry from summer indeed.