Walgett smashed records across the state, winning the title of hottest town yesterday with 49.1, with record top temperatures of 47.8 in Narrabri and Mungindi, 47.3 in Moree and 44.4 in Tamworth.

It was a surprise for Tamworth visitors, including Leanne Cubis from Glen Innes.

Before driving down yesterday morning, she had her electric blanket on to keep warm the previous night.

Carnarvon camper Betty Bailey and her husband Barry used the pool at the Paradise Tourist Park to cool off, but said they’d had temperatures of 52 degrees at home.

At 10.30am it was already 47 degrees on the tarmac at Tamworth Airport.

And more than 500 people walked through the gates at Scully Pool yesterday.

South and south-west winds brought relief last night to the North West and the New England, dropping temperatures, with cooler mornings expected next week.

The Bureau of Meteorology said temperatures would now ease over the weekend and next week.

Moree was expected to be in the high 30s and Tamworth about 36 degrees, but it’ll drop to the high 20s next week for Tamworth, while New England towns can expect low 20s and temperatures in the high teens.

With 2013 just announced as the hottest year on record, 2014 is giving it some competition early on in the race.