Severe thunderstorm to hit Sydney, large hail, damaging winds and heavy rain expected
Much of eastern NSW including the Sydney region faces another round of severe thunderstorms over the next few hours, with possible flash flooding.
The Bureau of Meteorology on Tuesday afternoon issued its first warning for damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall. Storm activity was already brewing around Wollongong.
Umbrellas may come in handy for Sydney residents on Tuesday afternoon as the prospect for storms increases.Credit:Louise Kennerley
"Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours," the Bureau said.
Locations at risk include Grafton, Coffs Harbour in the state's north, and a region stretching from Gosford down to Nowra that includes Sydney.
Hail the size of 10-cent pieces is already falling in places along the Mid North Coast.
Helen Reid, a duty forecaster at the Bureau, said the storms for Sydney would likely move through in a few hours' time, and last into the evening, much as they did on Monday.
"They are already starting to build in the Centre Tablelands," Ms Reid said, with others already forming around the Illawarra.
The humid conditions and the lack of warm air at higher altitude means that vertical motion can get going, creating the thunder clouds.
"The recipe's there," Ms Reid said. "We just have to watch it cook away."
More to come
Peter Hannam writes on environment issues for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.