Sydney region battered by rain as flash flooding concerns remain

Parts of Sydney, the Illawarra and Central Coast were battered by heavy rainfall on Friday morning, as severe thunderstorm warnings were issued amid concerns of flash flooding.

Up to 50 millimetres of rain fell in one hour near the Warragamba Dam in south-west Sydney, while the Central Coast experienced 80 millimetres of rain as heavy thunderstorms swept through the area.

Thunderstorms from Lake Macquarie to Wollongong are being produced by a surface trough off the NSW coast, which has dragged moisture from the sea and brought intense showers for the Sydney, Central Coast and Illawarra regions.

The Hunter and Mid North Coast regions experienced significant showers on Friday, with a severe storm warning issued amid concerns of flash flooding.

Heavy rainfall in the greater Wollongong region eased late on Friday morning. A thunderstorm warning for the area, which also included Campbelltown, was cancelled shortly before 1pm.

Flash flooding warnings for select parts of the South Coast, including Kiama, Port Kembla and Albion Park, remained on Friday afternoon.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Jonathan How said thunderstorms in Sydney would be “quite dynamic” on Friday, with south-west Sydney and suburbs near Sydney Airport among those at the greatest risk of extreme weather.

“These storms are likely to bring flash flooding. We’ve seen pretty heavy rainfall totals, 70 millimetres in three hours in Lake Macquarie, a couple of locations picked up more than 60mm in past few hours,” How said.

“Most of the city should get some rainfall, not everyone will see these thunderstorms bringing heavy rain, but is possible to get 50mm-plus in one hour.”

State Emergency Service teams are stationed across high-risk areas in Sydney on Friday, with Campbelltown, Penrith and Springwood among the areas flagged for potential disruption.

SES assistant commissioner Nicole Hogan warned of unexpected road closures as flash flooding overwhelms drainage systems, and asked commuters to reconsider their travel plans on Friday.

“If you don’t need to be on the roads during heavy rainfall, we ask the community to delay their travel until the storm passes,” Hogan said.

Concern was also raised for holidaymakers, who may encounter flooded roads while travelling across the state. Hogan stressed never to drive on inundated roads, saying the “best thing to do” was to turn around.

Friday will be a busy day for domestic travel at Sydney Airport, with more than 80,500 passengers expected. Sydney Airport chief executive Scott Charlton urged travellers to plan ahead and allow plenty of time for their journey, as roads and terminals fill.

How said rainfall was forecast to peak on Friday morning, though he noted it would remain “pretty wet and stormy” for the rest of the day. More thunderstorms are predicted for many parts of the state at the weekend, before moving north on Monday.

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