By Mike CrooksFriday 5 Apr 2024NewsReading Time: 4 minutes
A “volatile” weather event is causing havoc in areas of eastern NSW, including Sydney.
Key points
- NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York reiterated the call for people not to get on the roads today “unless they really have to”.
- Community feeling the strain as ten schools are closed, flights are delayed and even cancelled, and trains are delayed.
- The bureau warned of “life-threatening flash flooding” with rainfall up to 150mm over the Blue Mountains and Illawarra.
- Most of the rain from the Black Nor’easter is expected to fall on Friday and into Saturday morning.
- Warragamba Dam, which is currently at 96.3 per cent capacity, is expected to spill at some point on Monday.
Overnight, there were seven rescues according to the NSW State Emergency Service (SES), and crews responded to more than 550 incidents over the last 24 hours.
“It is most important that you don’t take unnecessary risks at the moment,” said Premier Chris Minns at the SES headquarters in Rhodes this morning.
“Particularly travelling through flood waters.”
Mr Minns said he expected there to be more rescues as the weather event continues.
“It’s crucially important that people in NSW understand the risks,” he said.
“It’s a volatile event, and we need to make sure that we’ve got the latest information.”
“Put it off”
NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York reiterated the call for people not to get on the roads today “unless they really have to”.
“Put it off for a day,” York told 2GB this morning.
The SES advises that people in the affected areas should not drive, ride or walk through flood water and to keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York reiterated the call for people not to get on the roads today “unless they really have to”.
Services interrupted
Among the services affected in Sydney include flight and train travel.
At Sydney Airport there have been multiple delays and cancellations of flights, according to the ABC.
And the Sydney Morning Herald reports of “lengthy delays” on Sydney trains after rain damaged equipment at Redfern Station – a major hub of the rail network.
“Trains are running frequently but trips may take longer than normal, and stops may change at short notice,” Transport for NSW said in a statement.
Further, ten schools have so far been closed across NSW.
NSW is feeling the strain as ten schools are closed, flights are delayed and even cancelled, and trains are delayed.
BOM’s warning
The Bureau of Meteorology issued warnings early this morning of heavy rain leading to flash flooding in areas south of Newcastle, including parts of the Hunter, Sydney Metro, Illawarra and Central Tablelands districts.
“Severe weather is expected to gradually shift south overnight, easing later on Saturday as the trough moves east to the Tasman Sea,” read a statement.
The bureau warned of rainfall reaching up to 150mm over the Blue Mountains and Illawarra escarpment.
There was a warning of “life-threatening flash flooding” between the Blue Mountains and Narooma from Friday evening to Saturday morning.
Damaging easterly winds are also expected from Friday evening in the Sydney metro region.
A “Hazardous Surf Warning” is also current.
The bureau warned of “life-threatening flash flooding” with rainfall up to 150mm over the Blue Mountains and Illawarra.
“Black Nor’easter”
The weather is believed to be due to a phenomenon meteorologists call the “Black Nor’easter”.
Weatherzone meteorologist Yoska Hernandez told the Sydney Morning Herald that the phenomenon can bring dark skies and heavy rainfall up to 300mm.
“The amount of moisture in the atmosphere is going to be very elevated, so the clouds are going to look black because of the amount of moisture available,” she said.
“Most of the rain is going to fall on Friday and into Saturday morning.”
Most of the rain from the Black Nor’easter is expected to fall on Friday and into Saturday morning.
Dam to spill
Due to the heavier rainfall in Sydney’s west, it is expected that the Warragamba Dam, which is currently at 96.3 per cent capacity, will spill at some point on Monday.
Water NSW chief executive Andrew George said the dam needs just 90mm of rain to begin overflowing.
“That means the Warragamba will move into a spill, likely Monday morning,” Mr George said.
“What’s important about that is that the spill will occur likely when the rainfall event has moved on, so it is very important that the community remain vigilant.”
Warragamba Dam, which is currently at 96.3 per cent capacity, is expected to spill at some point on Monday
Tragic loss
In Queensland, which is also experiencing heavy rainfall, a 71-year-old grandfather died when his ute was washed away in floodwaters just outside of Brisbane yesterday.
The man’s car was found in waters at Greenbank, near Logan.
“Clearly an absolutely tragic circumstance,” Queensland’s acting police commissioner Steve Gollschewski said yesterday.
Keep updated
Premier Minns encouraged those in areas prone to flooding to download the “Hazards Near Me” phone app, as well keeping abreast of emergency updates.
For more information and current warnings visit BOM or the SES.
For information on how to download the Hazards Near Me app, visit here.
Feature image: CanvaPro