Hot air blowing down from central Australia will force the mercury as high as 42 degrees in the next three days.

It’s important to look after loved ones as the heat rises Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Anita Pyne said.

“This is very serious as heatwaves actually claim the most lives of any severe weather event in Australia and it particularly affects elderly or sick people,” she said.

“The nights will be incredibly warm as well so you won’t have the usual relief.”

There is a slight chance of a thunderstorm in the early evening on Wednesday, with a maximum temperature of 42 degrees.

It’s much the same for Thursday and Friday, with hot and sunny conditions expected to continue into the weekend.

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Residents can expect some relief on Sunday as temperatures drop back to 35 degrees with a slight chance of rain.

Most of the state will be in severe heatwave conditions by the end of the week Ms Pyne said.

“This will be affected by a southerly change on the weekend that will start to cool down temperatures in the southern parts on Saturday and the more northern districts by Sunday,” she said.

NSW Ambulance reminds residents to keep an eye on the elderly and very young and keep well hydrated for the duration of the heatwave.

Lightheadedness, sweating, shortness of breath, lethargy and increasing thirst are symptoms to check on in hot conditions and paramedics are expecting an increase in falls by the elderly.

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