Sydneysiders hit by severe thunderstorm moving across NSW
A large swath of eastern NSW including most of the Sydney region is in for a stormy Monday afternoon, as a large thunderstorm cell swept eastwards bringing the potential for flash floods.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning for heavy rain and damaging winds for residents from the Blue Mountains to Gosford and the Illawarra to the entire Sydney region.
Most of the Sydney region and surrounding areas were facing severe thunderstorm risks on Monday afternoon.Credit:BoM
"Heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and damaging winds are likely," the bureau said.
Among the ares expected to be hit by 4.20 were Parramatta, Campbelltown, Liverpool and Bowral, while by 4.50pm the list was likely to include Hornsby, Sutherland, Wollongong, Sydney Airport, Sydney Olympic Park, and the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the warning stated.
Fishing at Laings Point in Watsons Bay as a summer storm tracks over Sydney from the west. Credit:James Brickwood
Sydney recorded its wettest year last year since 1998, and the forecast is for showers each day for the coming week.
Thunderstorms, though, are also possible on Tuesday.
Joel Pippard, a meteorologist with Weatherzone, said the storms were generated by an upper trough crossing the mountains from the state's Central Tablelands. Tuesday's storms would likely also be in the afternoon but stirred up by instability from a trough closer to the surface.
The heaviest falls so far in the Sydney region were 32 millimetres at Shanes Park, near Penrith, the rain likely to have fallen in about half an hour, he said.
Commuters or others outside wondering whether to make a dash for home should consider delaying their travel.
"It's a long line of thunderstorms rather than a broad one," Mr Pippard said. "They are moving pretty quickly."
The Bureau has also issued a separate warning for heavy rainfall, damaging winds and large hailstones for much of northern and eastern NSW for Monday afternoon.
In particular, "severe thunderstorms are likely to produce intense rainfall that may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding over the next several hours in parts of the Hunter district, possibly affecting the Central Coast and Newcastle region," it said.
Among the wild weather reports, Nobby Hill on the NSW South Coast collected 50 millimetres of rain in half an hour to about 3.15pm, the Bureau said. Picton's Lakesland Road also received 24.4mm in about a quarter of an hour to 3.45pm.
More to come
Peter Hannam writes on environment issues for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.