One dead as severe winds and cold front sweep the state
One person has died in the Blue Mountains after harsh winds and a cold front ravaged eastern parts of the state on Thursday night, with the severe blasts expected to continue until Saturday.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for south-eastern NSW before a second cold front on Friday creates more strong and gusty winds.
The Snowy Mountains, Illawarra and parts of south coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands and Canberra will be the worst hit by damaging winds averaging 60 to 70km per hour, with peak gusts of over 90km.
NSW SES volunteers responded to 54 calls for assistance related to fallen trees across the Blue Mountains on Thursday as winds peaked at 91km per hour.
One person was killed in Katoomba on Thursday night when a large tree fell onto their car, police confirmed. A second man was freed from the car in a serious condition and was airlifted to Westmead Hospital. He had sustained head and chest injuries.
About 7pm emergency services were called to Victoria Street where they located a Volvo sedan underneath a large fallen tree, police said.
Officers found two people inside the vehicle; a female passenger aged in her 40s who had suffered fatal injuries, and the male driver, aged in his 20s, who was trapped.
Officers from Blue Mountains Police Area Command established a crime scene and commenced inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
"Friday and Saturday will be windy across much of the state, particularly eastern parts," Bureau meteorologist Gabrielle Woodhouse said.
"The weather warning could be extended to include the Sydney metropolitan area - it's touch and go at the moment."
Sydney will experience a significant drop in temperature over the weekend, with forecasts of 14 to 16 degrees across the metropolitan basin.
"It's going to be very windy for the next few days [but] by Saturday night we will see an easing trend on those winds," Ms Woodhouse said.
"Overnight temperatures will be siginificantly cooler than what we've been experiencing. The windchill factor will make it feel much colder - it's a good thing to be rugged up."
While there has been decent snowfall on ski fields, with Perisher receiving 20cm of snow on Thursday, Ms Woodhouse said strong winds and blizzard conditions could create poor visibility for skiers.
The Bureau forecasts the blizzard conditions will ease during Saturday.
The state might also see snow at lower elevations. Strong winds could create a dusting that spreads further east to Orange and Oberon, and sleet or snowfall is possible in Canberra or the Blue Mountains.