Heatwave conditions are set to continue before a southerly change brings cooler air and relief from the heat for the weekend.

Large parts of central and eastern Australia are in for another day of heat after Thursday endured widespread temperatures above 40 degrees and some inland areas nudged 50 degrees.

A southerly change beginning on Friday afternoon will mean temperatures throughout the region drop by 10 to 15 degrees.

But before the cool change hits, Sydney is set to swelter with some areas climbing to 40 degrees by lunchtime.

As the heat continues to move further east, the NSW coast will get even warmer. Newcastle and Taree are both forecast for 41 degrees, while Grafton and Gosford will hit 40 degrees.

Temperatures in towns across the Hunter including Cessnock, Scone and Singleton will also rise by 1-2 degrees on Thursday’s temperatures with Singleton expecting a peak of 43 degrees and Scone 41.

The lower and upper west of NSW will again bear the brunt of the heat with Bourke to hit 44 degrees and Moree 42.

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Parts of the state could get a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening.

Inland areas of South Australia’s north and south-west Queensland will also be warm, but markedly less so than Thursday when temperatures sat in the mid to high 40s.

South Australia will be noticeably cooler with temperatures dropping about 10 degrees and Adelaide forecasting a 24-degree maximum.

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Heatwave conditions will continue in parts of Queensland’s west and interior, although most regions will have a welcome drop in temperature.

Brisbane is forecast to peak at 33 degrees and the Gold Coast 35.

Cooler air spreading across the southern and eastern states will mean temperatures drop noticeably by late Friday afternoon.

The forecast change will bring cooler weather for almost all areas on the weekend.

– AAP