Surf Life Savers issued a warning Friday afternoon as a cyclone moves south-east offshore and is expected to bring dangerous surf conditions to the Hunter at the weekend.
Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle was expected to remain well offshore but could hammer the Hunter coast with strong winds and waves exceeding 3.5 metres, ramping up Saturday and peaking on Sunday, forecasters advised.
Rock-fishers and beachgoers were urged to take extra caution as swimming, surfing, boating and other water activities were expected to pose particular danger from the Hunter to the Queensland border as conditions deteriorate.
The state recorded 55 coastal drowning deaths last year, but that number was thrown into a troubling light in the wake of 19 deaths just this summer and 31 since July, Surf Life Saving NSW said in a statement released Friday.
The organisation will have call-out teams, officers and surf rescue assets on standby, but have urged beachgoers to exercise caution in rough conditions.
"These conditions have the potential to cause high winds which can be dangerous for rock fishing, boating, surfing and swimming," SLS director Joel Wiseman said.
"Our resources are actively patrolling and Support Operations Teams from the Hunter to the Far North Coast are in operation, but if you take are planning on taking a risk, we strongly urge you to check BeachSafe and understand your limitations."
Forecasters for the Bureau of Meteorology have advised beachgoers to consider staying out of the water this weekend and boaters planning to cross shallow waters and sandbars should consider delaying their voyage.
Singleton was expecting a possible thunderstorm Friday evening, ahead of a scorching weekend, with further scattered possible storm activity across the Hunter Sunday afternoon with tops of 36 degrees.
