Early risers and night owls revel in pre-dawn warmth as the mercury rises to the mid 20s prior to sunrise this morning. The mercury only cooled to 20.6 degrees overnight before warming into the early morning. Tossing and turning in sweaty sheets across Sydney would have been common as pre-dawn temperatures were recorded close to 26 degrees, warmer than any day got to in the first four weeks of September. The official 24 hour minimum was the highest since April, although the last time it was that warm a few hours before sunrise was in December last year. The summer-like evening was due to warm northerly winds blowing into the night as cloud cover prevented any warmth escaping from a day of heating. Today, Sydney warmed to 27 degrees ahead of a southerly change. This gusty change moved through around midday and will bring a cooler afternoon and a more typical overnight chill. Patchy light showers will develop later tonight and continue into Wednesday before skies clear just in time for the lunar eclipse on Wednesday evening.