A month’s worth of rain smashed large parts of ‘s east coast overnight, triggering flash floods and evacuation warnings in Sydney’s southwest.
The rain bomb exploded over much of NSW on Thursday night, with over 250mm of rain falling in parts of the Illawarra and the state’s south-east.
In Sydney, where almost 60mm of rain fell in the last 24 hours, an incredible ‘five-in-one’ lightning strike hit shortly after 8pm on Thursday, with two bolts appearing to strike the Harbour Bridge.
The NSW SES has received over 450 calls since 6pm last night, with residents in Picton and Menangle, in Sydney’s south-west, being told to prepare for possible evacuations.
Emergency workers will be conducting door knocks in affected areas – including Windsor, North Richmond, the Hawkesbury, and the Nepean – as the Nepean River is expected to swell beyond it’s banks on Friday morning.
Residents in Shoalhaven Heads, on the state’s south coast, are also being told to prepare for possible evacuations with more than 60 rescues already carried out across the region.
WaterNSW confirmed Warragamba Dam began spilling at 4.20am Friday, at a rate of 150 gigalitres per day.
The overspill will flow into the Nepean River, which could affect those living in low-lying areas along its banks in Sydney’s south-west.
Authorities are advising residents to keep a close eye on the rapidly changing situation.
With rain forecast well into the long weekend, it may be a while before NSW – as well as Perth and some parts of Victoria – get any respite from the wet weather.
BOM meteorologist Angus Hines said significant weather will impact both the east and west coasts of as we finish off the first week of winter, with some areas to be hit with a 250mm downpour.
‘The action happening in terms of rainfall is happening in New South Wales, as well as far south west of WA,’ he said.
‘The wet weather will kick off in both of those regions late on Thursday and it is expected to be quite wet on both edges of the country through Friday.’
By Friday, some areas in northeastern Victoria will also be experiencing heavy rainfall.
Mr Hines said more than 100mm of rainfall, if not more, was predicted to hit the Illawarra region and the south coast across the three days.
‘A surface trough extending from the Illawarra region into the Tasman Sea will deepen during Thursday in response to an upper low over New South Wales,’ the BOM website states.
‘Rainfall totals between 100 and 150mm are likely with isolated totals of 250mm possible.’
A flood watch warning has been issued for parts of Wollongong, Nowra, Bowral, Ulladulla, Taralga and Nerriga.
Rivers predicted for minor flooding include the Cooks River, Shoalhaven River, St Georges Basin, the Moruya and Deua Rivers.
Particular rivers on flood watch are the Upper Nepean River, Hawkesbury and Lower Nepean Rivers, Colo River, Georges and Woronora Rinvers for moderate flooding.
Along with rain, the Bureau has outlined cooler temperatures across most of the states.
But a reprieve from heavy rain is in sight.
‘(But) on Friday, initially the low moves towards the coast but then it does a U-turn in the morning and starts to move away from the country, meaning in the second half of the day on Friday that rain will really begin to clear out with brighter weather,’ Mr Hines said.
Severe weather warnings remain active between Oberon in the central tablelands and the southern coast town of Uladulla.
The bureau predicts parts of the Illawarra district, areas of the south coast and southern sections of Sydney could cop more than 100mm of rain between Thursday and Sunday.
The alert came after the bureau in May warned could be hit with the return of a La Nina weather pattern, which typically brings wetter-than-usual conditions to the nation’s east.
There was a 50-50 chance the weather system might form in the Pacific Ocean later in 2024, it said at the time.
In April, the bureau declared an end to an El Nino weather event, which generally brings hotter, drier weather to the country’s east.
SYDNEY
Friday Showers increasing. Min 10 Max 19
Saturday Shower or two. Min 11 Max 20
Sunday Partly cloudy. Min 11 Max 20
BRISBANE
Friday Sunny. Min 10 Max 21
Saturday Sunny. Min 9 Max 21
Sunday Mostly sunny. Min 10 Max 23
ADELAIDE
Friday Partly cloudy. Min 7 Max 17
Saturday Possible shower. Min 7 Max 16
Sunday Shower or two clearing. Min 8 Max 17
MELBOURNE
Friday Partly cloudy. Min 9 Max 16
Saturday Shower or two. Min 9 Max 15
Sunday Showers. Min 9 Max 15
CAIRNS
Friday Sunny. Min 17 Max 26
Saturday Sunny. Min 17 Max 26
Sunday Sunny. Min 16 Max 27
PERTH
Friday Shower or two. Min 13 Max 20
Saturday Showers increasing. Min 12 Max 21
Sunday Showers. Min 15 Max 21
HOBART
Friday Cloudy. Min 6 Max 13
Saturday Partly cloudy. Min 6 Max 14
Sunday Shower or two. Min 7 Max 12
CANBERRA
Friday Rain. Min 7 Max 15
Saturday Early shower or two. Min 5 Max 16
Sunday Possible shower developing. Min 3 Max 14
DARWIN
Friday Sunny. Min 18 Max 29
Saturday Sunny. Min 16 Max 29
Sunday Sunny. Min 16 Max 30
New South Wales
A flood watch has been issued for parts of The Central Coast, Sydney metro area, Illawarra and the south coast.
The BOM has forecasted moderate flooding likely to be in the Hawkesbury Nepean Valley and the Georges River from Thursday. Widespread rainfall between 100-150mm with some places expected to get up to 250mm from Thursday to Friday.
A cloudy and possible chances of rain for Sydney on Thursday, with a maximum temperature of 18 and a low of 12.
Victoria
No weather warnings are currently in place for the state.
Melbourne is expected to be partly cloudy on Thursday, slight chance of showers and light winds in the evening. Maximum temperature of 17 with a low of 8.
Queensland
No weather warnings are currently in place for the state.
A sunny day for the Brisbane area, with a chance of morning fog. Maximum temperature of 23 with a low of 11.
Western
The BOM have issued gale warnings for the Leeuwin Coast, with strong winds expected in Perth Local Waters, Geraldton Coast, Lancelin Coast, Perth Coast, Bunbury Geographe Coast, Albany Coast and Esperance Coast.
Cloudy and high chance of rain and thunderstorms in the Perth, with temperatures expected to reach a high of 24 and a low of 12.
South
No weather warnings are currently in place for the state.
A cloudy day is expected for the Adelaide area, with chances of fog the northern suburbs. Slight chance of a showers in the hills and southern suburbs. Maximum temperature of 18 and a low of 8.
Tasmania
The BOM has issued a minor flood warnings for the South Esk River from Fingal to Llewellyn and along St Pauls River with possible showers forecasted for the next few days,
Light winds and a cloudy day is forecasted for the Hobart area on Thursday, with a temperatures expected to reach a high of 15 and a low of 8.
n Capital Territory
A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall has been issued for people parts of the Illawarra, South Coast and Southern and Central Tablelands from early Thursday morning.
A cloudy and rainy morning and afternoon for the Canberra area, with a maximum temperature high of 15 and a low of 5.
Northern Territory
No weather warnings are currently in place for the state.
A sunny day with light winds has been predicted for the Darwin City and Outer Darwin area, with a maximum temperature high of 31 and a low of 21.