The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) is warning communities to remain vigilant as widespread rain and severe thunderstorms are expected to impact large parts of NSW over the coming days.
Heavy rainfall may lead to flash flooding and riverine flooding along rivers in parts of Sydney, Illawarra Coast, South coastal rivers, parts of inland central west and southwest rivers.
Severe thunderstorms are likely today, persisting overnight into Wednesday, bringing heavy falls, giant hail, and damaging winds.
Local heavy rainfall of up to 50 millimeters is expected in large parts of the state today. Tomorrow, as the weather system moves southeast, localised falls of up to 200 millimeters are possible on the south coast, particularly Moruya.
NSW SES Senior Manager State Operations, Chief Superintendent Dallas Burnes said the worst of the predicted weather would hit within the next 24 to 48 hours.
“We’re expecting sustained rainfall across large parts of the state, and we are concerned about the potential of riverine and flash flooding,” Chief Superintendent Burnes said.
“We’ve prepositioned assets to the areas we are most concerned about, and we’ve reached out to our interagency partners to prepare their teams should they need to stand up and assist us in our response.”
Chief Superintendent Burnes urged the community to prepare their homes and not take a risk should flash flooding and localised riverine flooding occur.
“The most important thing the community can do is to avoid traveling through flood waters. You don’t know what debris or damage to the road could be below the surface,” he said.
“The best rescue we do is the one we don’t have to do because the community is making sensible decisions.”
The NSW SES currently has 11 advice-level warnings current, based on Flood watches issued by the Bureau of Meteorology.
Minor flooding possible is possible at Illawarra Coast, St Georges Basin, Clyde River, Moruya and Deua Rivers, Tuross River, Peel River, Namoi River, Castlereagh River, Macquarie River to Bathurst, Orange, Molong and Bell River, Turon and Macquarie Rivers to Burrendong Dam, Macquarie River down steam of Burrendong Dam, Bogan River, Tumut River, Upper Murrumbidgee River to Burrinjuck Dam and Cooma Ck, Murrumbidgee River to Wagga Wagga, Mirrool Creek, Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers, Snowy River, Upper Murray and Mitta Mitta Rivers.
Minor to moderate flooding is possible at the Bega River.
