Severe storms with the potential for destructive winds and large hail are expected to move across New South Wales on Saturday.

Storms were also expected in parts of Queensland and Victoria.

Thunderstorms were a risk across much of the NSW’s east coast, including the chance of wind gusts above 125km/h, the Bureau of Meteorology said.

“Those are destructive winds, very dangerous thunderstorms,” the BoM meteorologist Christie Johnson said.

Severe thunderstorms were most likely across the Hunter, mid-north coast and northern tablelands, and could also bring the risk of gusty winds, large hail of more than 2cm and localised heavy rain with the potential for flash flooding.

For the Sydney metropolitan area, the greatest risk of severe storms would be from late morning and through the early afternoon, Johnson said.

“This may cause damage to cars, property, vegetation, would be strong enough to bring down trees, tree limbs or power lines and could potentially lead to power outages or lengthy traffic and transport delays,” she said.

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High fire danger and warm temperatures were expected ahead of the cold front moving across the state, with a top of 32C forecast for Sydney, 31C for Newcastle and 29C for Wollongong.

“It’s going to be warm and partly cloudy,” Johnson said. “There’ll also be elevated fire danger with high fire danger through much of central and eastern NSW today and a fire weather warning for the north-western fire district.”

Johnson said Queensland could expect “showers and thunderstorms extending from the north-west to the south-east interior today and moving towards the south-east coast later in the day”.

Victoria could see rainfall totals of 15 to 30mm, across large areas stretching from Melbourne’s east across to Gippsland and the NSW border.

Johnson said this could lead to some river rises and isolated minor riverine flooding, and flood warnings would be issued if needed.

Saturday’s forecast for the capital cities was:

• Sydney 32C with showers and then storms developing.

• Melbourne 13C with rain increasing.

• Brisbane 31C with a late shower or two.

• Perth 28C and sunny.

• Adelaide 18C and cloudy.

• Hobart 15C and partly cloudy.

• Canberra 26C with a shower or two and then becoming windy.

• Darwin 34C and partly cloudy.