Warnings to keep out of the sun as Sydney blisters with temperatures hitting 40C out west The NSW Police Force Mounted Unit is keeping its horses cool with a misting system. Courtesy: Facebook/Mounted Unit - NSW Police Force Searing temperatures across city with western suburbs worst hit Little relief in sight, with Sunday set for a 42C scorcher Total fire ban in place across Great Sydney region RICHMOND had the unenviable distinction of being the hottest place in Sydney today as it hit 40.7 degrees just after 2pm. Both Penrith and Bankstown were not far behind with the mercury hitting 40.5 degrees and 40.4 degrees respectively just before 3pm. On the Central Coast Gosford recorded the hottest temperature with 40.6 degrees at 2.37pm. The Rural Fire Service are battling 28 bush and grass fires across NSW with 12 of those uncontained however none are threatening people or property. Today's heat will smash the November average of 24 degrees in the city and 27 in the west. If the forecast holds and Sydney's western suburbs has five consecutive day of 35 degrees or more, it will be a record Spring heatwave in the west. The Rural Fire Service said there is a severe fire danger and widespread total fire bans are in place in Sydney, the Hunter, Central Ranges and the North Western and Upper Central West Plains. The RFS have warned that any bushfire that starts has the potential to threaten lives and destroy homes. Young Dalhil cools off in Centenary Square. Picture Peter Kelly. Bathers take to Manly Cove to beat today's sweltering heat. . Sunning it....These girls took to the beach at Bondi to beat the heat. Josie Watts, 4, goes digging at Coogee Beach. The sizzling scenes in Sydney were in stark contrast to those across the United States where deadly snowstorms continued to sweep across the country. BOM spokesman David Barlow said a southerly change will bring a cool change tonight. "The main reason for the heat is we've got a low pressure trough moving across NSW with north westerly winds bringing the heat from inland Australia," he said. Red alert as colours spell out bushfire dangers for the weekend ahead. Picture: Sky News Source: Twitter Today's bushfire warning areas through the state. Michelle Farah has the best spot in town at Parramatta Pool. Picture: Peter Kelly Source: News Corp Australia On the coast there is some sea breeze developing today but the more significant change is coming this evening so there'll be some relief with a southerly change tonight around 8pm. As the winds move to the north east the southerly will come up behind the trough as it moves away and we'll get more mild temperatures. Swimmers take a dip in Parramatta Lake. That cool change will bring the mercury down to 19 degrees across the city overnight with the milder conditions flowing into tomorrow. "The southerly will have moved through and the temperatures will be milder tomorrow, still warm and generally above average in November, expecting 27 in the city and 33 in the west," Mr Barlow said. The cooling influence of south easterly coastal winds will keep temperatures in the city lower than the western suburbs where the winds will be lighter. Stark contrast..... Karen McRae clears snow from her driveway in New York overnight. Originally published as Worst in the west as temperature tops 40