Weather News

Wild weather in Sydney and Hunter easing tonight

James Casey, Tuesday April 21, 2015 - 14:44 AEST

Torrential rain, destructive winds and powerful surf have caused havoc in central-eastern NSW with over 200,000 homes without power and property severely damaged.

The Sydney Basin has been drenched over the last 24 hours with a widespread 80-130mm recorded throughout the Sydney region. Sydney has recorded 119mm to 9am this morning, the heaviest rain in 13 years and the heaviest April rain since 1998. Northern parts of the Sydney Basin were hit the hardest with Turramurra the wettest place in Sydney receiving 174mm.

In the Hunter, most locations recorded their heaviest rain since 2007 when the Pasha Bulker ran aground at Nobbys Head. Williamtown recorded 156mm and Cessnock 85mm, the heaviest 24 hour April rain in 50 years and 45 years respectively. In the Upper Hunter, severe thunderstorms have been producing the heaviest downpours with 83mm falling in 40 minutes at Tocal and 145mm in three hours at Dungog. In 24 hours Tocal was hit with 243mm, the heaviest in 48 years, while Dungog was flooded with 312mm, its heaviest rain in over 100 years of records.

Farmers further west are celebrating as Trangie 43mm and Coonabarabran 57mm had their heaviest 24 hour rain in two years.

Winds with this system became destructive yesterday afternoon and continued into Tuesday morning. In Sydney, North Head gusted to 102km/h, Wottamalla 135km/h and Sydney Airport 100km/h. In the Hunter, Norah Head and Newcastle Nobbys gusted to 135km/h. At North Head and Norah Head these are the strongest wind gusts since 2007. Overnight, roofs were ripped off houses and trees and power poles fell on cars and closed roads. In the Hunter, some homes were severely damaged and a large number of schools have been closed for the day.

Wave heights rose quickly on Monday afternoon, increasing from three metres to six metres in a matter of hours. Waves are still building with offshore buoys recording a maximum wave height of 11 metres, while the average lingers around seven metres. Along the coast 10-12 foot waves are closing out along the beaches. Sydney Harbour is effectively closed with ferries no longer running due to large surf, while there are reports of surfers riding three to four foot waves at inner harbour beaches.

An upper level cold pool interacting with a coastal trough caused the formation of this east coast low on Monday. During Tuesday afternoon the low formed another centre, nearer the coast, bringing another burst of rain, wind and waves to parts of the Hunter and Sydney, but generally not as wet or as windy as it has already been. On Tuesday night this low will move south and weaken, taking heavy rain and the strongest winds with it, although waves should remain over eight foot at beaches. During Wednesday and Thursday the sun will return although wave heights will remain large until Friday morning.

- Weatherzone

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