A balmy and possibly wet weekend was expected for parts of the Hunter this week, as a high pressure system moving in the Tasman offset against a lower pressure system across inland parts of the state brought warmer and unsettled conditions to the region.
A slight chance of showers about the Lower Hunter Thursday was was expected to increase in probability toward the weekend, with southwesterly winds Friday and Saturday turning easterly by Sunday.
It wasn't a classic start to summer on the beaches, with overcast conditions prevailing over the city earlier Thursday morning, while a freshening onshore wind turned conditions choppy on the approximate 4ft surf.
The swell was expected to peak around 1.4 metres on Saturday as overcast weather persisted with tops of 24 degrees.
Meanwhile, the mercury was expected to rise to as high as 27 degrees at Maitland on the weekend after a chance of showers Saturday leads into a warm and partly cloudy Sunday.
In the Upper Hunter, temperatures could reach 30 degrees by Monday as the clouds clear into mostly sunny conditions next week.
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