Most of NSW is set to sweat through a stubborn heatwave over the next week, with warm air blown in from central Australia lingering over the state.

Inland NSW will bear the full brunt of the punishing heat, with the heatwave expected to intensify to severe or extreme levels as the week wears on.

The region’s pools look certain to be popular, with the weather willy app predicting a string of nearly 40-degree days this week.

The mercury is set to rise to 36 degrees today, while tomorrow is expected to reach 38 and Thursday (36 degrees) won’t be far behind in terms of heat.

Friday’s 38 degrees should have residents reaching for their air conditioning controls again.

The temperature isn’t expected to dip until the weekend, with Saturday storms expected and 35.

If you believe in a good laugh, there will be some welcome relief on Sunday with the temperature expected to reach “only” 31 degrees.

It’ll be hot and sticky nights also this week with the week’s minimum temperatures around 18 degrees. But the majority of nights, the temperature is expected to hover in the low 20’s.

Tomorrow and Saturday nights are expected to get down to only 23 degrees.

The heatwave will persist over much of NSW for the week, first punishing the state's southeast before spreading its scorching wrath further north.

Even our friends in the eastern village of Orange will melt as they experience a heatwave that will bring temperatures of up to 33 degrees.

So far this year the town (Mudgee Airport) has recorded just 3ml of rain.