Sydney and much of New South Wales (NSW) are bracing for heavy rain and strong winds as the long weekend concludes. Motorists returning to Sydney and nearby areas are urged to remain vigilant and exercise caution on the roads, following a night of intense rainfall, with more downpours expected.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has indicated that an upper-level low pressure system situated over inland NSW is moving eastward towards the coast, which will bring additional heavy rain and possibly thunderstorms. Severe weather warnings have been issued for substantial rainfall and potential flash flooding across large parts of the state.
“Travellers returning from the long weekend should prepare for how this heavy rain and flash flooding might affect their travels,” advised senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury. She recommended that those on the roads consider alternative routes, as road closures due to flooding may occur.
Regions including the mid-north coast, Hunter, central coast, and the metropolitan area of Sydney are expected to experience substantial rain. The northeast coast could see widespread rainfall of up to 40mm, with localised thunderstorm activity potentially pushing totals to 140mm in isolated areas. For instance, Collombatti on the north coast recorded 117mm within a mere six hours.
Moreover, strong winds are anticipated, resulting in hazardous surf conditions along the eastern coastline. Gusts could reach up to 90 km/h, particularly on the Hunter coast and southern mid-north coast. The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) has reported 64 incidents since yesterday evening, with 14 of those occurring in Sydney, and advises the public to avoid driving or walking through floodwaters and to stay away from storm drains and creeks.
While conditions may gradually improve by Monday, scattered showers and sporadic rain are still expected to persist along the east coast. Isolated storms may also affect parts of southeast Queensland and some areas of Victoria, with several minor flood warnings currently in place for regions across Queensland’s southeast and north of Brisbane.