Severe Storms Lash NSW, triggering Flash Floods in Sydney and Tornado Reports
Sydney, NSW - A powerful weather system has brought torrential rain and damaging winds to New South Wales, causing flash flooding in Sydney and prompting reports of at least two tornadoes in regional areas. Emergency services are responding to multiple incidents as severe weather warnings remain in place across the state.
The intense rainfall has already broken records, with Observatory Hill in Sydney recording 122mm of rain – the city’s second-highest September rainfall on record.This figure is close to the 110mm recorded in 1883, and considerably below the daily record of 144.5mm set on September 10, 1879.The deluge has impacted numerous suburbs, with Randwick recording 145.8mm, Cronulla South bowling club 147mm, and Collaroy (Long Reef golf club) 108mm by 9am Thursday. Othre locations reporting high rainfall totals include Sydney Botanic Gardens (116mm), Rose Bay (Royal Sydney golf club) (110mm), Peakhurst golf club (113mm), Marrickville golf club (81mm), Campbelltown (99mm), and Camden airport (77.8mm). The highest fall was 181mm at Greenwell point, 93km south of Wollongong.
The extreme weather has triggered a multi-faceted emergency response. The State Emergency Service (SES) is monitoring for minor flooding along several rivers, potentially leading to local road closures. A group of hikers were rescued at Wattamolla, south of Sydney, after heavy rainfall began on Wednesday afternoon, with wind speeds reaching 100km/h at the coastal picnic area by 7am Thursday.
According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), conditions are expected to ease on Thursday, but several warnings remain active, including those for damaging winds in the Hunter, Mid North Coast, Northern Tablelands, and Lord Howe Island. Damaging wind gusts with peak speeds of 90km/h are forecast to continue into the afternoon due to a complex low-pressure system. large and powerful south to south-east waves are predicted to batter the northern and central coasts through to early Friday, increasing the risk of hazardous surf and coastal erosion. NSW police Marine Area Command is advising people to stay out of the water and avoid surf-exposed areas.
“Quite a lot has happened over the last 24 hours,” said Hines of the BoM on Thursday morning. “NSW has had,maybe not every flavor of severe weather,but certainly a good selection.”
