Sydney shivered through its coldest day since last winter but dodged the worst of the wild weather that brought snow across the ranges and dumped record-breaking rain on parts of the country's south.

The Harbour City struggled to reach 17 degrees on Friday, with apparent temperatures stuck firmly in the single-digits. It was Sydney's first sub-20 degree day since last December.

"The main effect for Sydney from this system will be the wind not the rain," Jess Miskelly, a meteorologist from Weatherzone, said.

Cattle shelter from the snow at Black Springs in the NSW Central Tablelands. Credit:Nick Moir

Westerly wind gusts topped 60km/h at elevated parts of the city. A shift to more southerly winds on Friday evening is expected to cause another burst of gusty conditions, this time for coastal regions.