Waves measuring up to eight metres are pounding the NSW east coast as Sydney cleans up after last night’s ferocious storm.

The Bureau of Meterology has issued a warning with “very heavy surf” pounding the coast in Sydney, the Hunter and Illawarra.

“Beach conditions in these areas could be dangerous and people should stay well away from the surf and surf-exposed areas,” the warning stated.

“ Waves are expected to slowly decrease late today and tonight.”

media_camera Newcastle beaches were pounded by huge seas on Wednesday. The Newcastle Ocean Baths copped a pounding and were closed on Wednesday. Picture: Justin Sanson.

media_camera Surfers braved the massive surf despite warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology. Picture by Justin Sanson

media_camera Ferry making it's cumbersome way through the big swell and wind

media_camera Ferr making it's cumbersome way through the big swell and wind

The massive surf comes after a destructive storm swept over the east coast last night that saw strong winds, torrential rain and lightning cause havoc from the city to the mountains.

Residents woke up to scenes of chaos after last night’s storm.

Thousands of homes remain without power and the SES received more than 1200 calls for help as wind gusts of 160km/h, torrential rain and spectacular lightning caused widespread mayhem from the city to the Blue Mountains.

media_camera A man checks out the floodwaters at Bardwell Park station. Picture: Instagram/nikkiarief

media_camera Roads flooded at Juno Pde and Punchbowl Rd, Greenacre. Picture: Bill Hearne

As many as 30 motorists had to be rescued from their flooded ­vehicles as the heavy downpour turned streets, including parts of Paramatta Rd, into “raging rivers”.

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At one point the SES was taking a call a minute as desperate residents became caught in floodwaters or branches damaged their homes.

media_camera Lewisham train station is inaccessible this morning after being flooded. Picture: Daniel Shaw

media_camera Pumping at Lewisham train station gets underway this morning. Picture: NSW Incident Alerts

SES has warned commuters of public transport delays on Wednesday, with Lewisham Station in Sydney’s inner west flooded.

Pennant Hills Rd is struggling after a tree fell onto the road causing a car accident at Hull Rd; at Thornleigh one of three southbound lanes are closed and traffic conditions are heavy.

Snow and ice has closed Bells Line of Road between Lithgow and Bell.

In the Blacktown area, Stony Creek Road Causeway, Rouse Rd, Grange Avenue and South Street are all closed, with motorists advised to use alternate routes.

The Great Western Highway was closed in both directions between Katoomba and Mount Victoria due to wires down but has since re-opened.

A crane collpase at Wentworthville closed two westbound lanes of the Great Western Highway at Rawson Rd.

The Darling Causeway is also closed and westbound traffic will be stopped at Mount Tomah.

media_camera A BMW lies beneath a fallen tree in Sydney this morning. Picture: Twitter/Charlotte Willis

media_camera This car was swept away in Bexley last night. Picture: Twitter/Andrew Denney

High winds have closed access to the Port Botany Freight Terminal. Heavy traffic has resulted and motorists are advised to allow extra travel time and expect delays.

Meanwhile blackouts are affecting traffic light signals in the Sydney suburbs of Kurnell, Leichhardt, Kogarah, Bankstown, Campbelltown, Lidcombe, Maroubra, Bondi, Carrs Park, Condell Park, Engadine and Heathcote.

media_camera Lightning striking in Sydney during last night’s massive storm. Picture: Craig Reitano

On the Central Coast: Peats Ridge and Wyong and in the Blue Mountains: Lithgow, Blaxland, Mount Victoria and Katoomba are affected.

Tracey Ong from Sydney Airport said they were busy clearing a backlog of flights affected by flooding overnight.

“Last night we had 22 domestic services cancelled or diverted and an additioal seven international services unable to depart sop we are working this morning to catch up,” she told 2GB.

media_camera Flooding at Sydney Airport kept passengers on their toes last night. Picture: Supplied

Six people were helped from a building in Allawah in after a retaining wall collapsed.

The storm is expected to move north on Wednesday towards the Hunter Region and Central Coast before abating as the day progresses.

media_camera Lewisham station was left flooded. Picture: Twitter media_camera Rapid flood waters at knee height in Lakemba. Picture: Dan

The NSW Board of Studies has told student affected by the storm to make safety a priority when attending today’s Ancient History and PDHPE exams.

“Don’t do anything that would put yourself in danger. For all students give yourself extra time to get to the exam centre,” they said in a statement.

“If you can’t get to your school go to one you can get to and they will make arrangements for you.”

A severe weather warning remains in place for heavy rain, destructive and damaging winds and damaging surf for Sydney, the Hunter, Central Coast and Illawarra.

Destructive winds around 80km/h with gusts off up to 125km/h on the coast are forecast for parts of Sydney while the Hunter and Illawarra are expected to be battered with winds of 90 km/h.

“Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is forecast to continue early this morning for the Metropolitan forecast district and parts of the Hunter forecast district before easing later,” according to the Bureau of Meterology.

media_camera Blackheath / Picture: Lindsay Holmwood

Fire and Rescue NSW reported two cases of apparent lightning strikes on houses, one of which caused a large fire at a Kellyville two-storey home, but no one was reported hurt.

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NSW’s south coast has been hit by the heaviest rainfall, with 170mm falling at Lake Conjola and 145mm at Ulladulla.

Sydney has also been drenched, with falls of 136mm at Sans Souci, 118 at Marrickville, 114 at Peakhurst and 113 at Strathfield.

Wattamolla, in Sydney’s Royal National Park, recorded wind gusts of 161km at 9.02pm

Up to 15cm of snow was recorded in parts of the Blue Mountains, although the SES said milder conditions and rain had begun thawing the snow by early morning on Wednesday.

A number of cars were damaged by tree branches brought down by snow, and one family had to be rescued after becoming trapped in their car by a fallen tree.

More than 30,000 people in metropolitan Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands and the Illawarra regions were without power on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning as strong winds brought down powerlines.

Extra emergency crews from Ausgrid are working to safely restore power to about 14,000 homes in parts of Sydney and the Central Coast.

Endeavour Energy is trying to restore power to about 14,000 homes, mainly across the Blue Mountains.

media_camera Water fills the M5 tunnel last night. Picture: Twitter/@Dan—kildea

More than 50 flood rescues were performed last night and the state will now turn to the massive task of cleaning up even as rain continues to fall this morning.

For the second time in 24-hours, commuters had to be rescued from a stranded train, with 60 stuck on their trip from Kingsgrove to Bexley North.

media_camera This car suffered the brunt of the storm at Lily Street, Leichhardt. Picture: Bill Hearne

Police reported more than 100 streets and roads suffered flash flooding, and as much as 60mm of rain was dumped in less than an hour, with traffic light blackouts adding to the chaos.

At the peak of the storm, which hit Sydney at 9.10pm, 5500 homes in the south lost power as police, firefighters and SES attended more than 1200 weather-related emergencies.

media_camera Heavy rain cut a train line at Bardwell Park causing commuters to stay on the train for hours before being rescued. Picture: Bill Hearne

Sydney Airport recorded wind gusts of up to 100km/h and received 35mm of rain, forcing delays to domestic and international flights.

Flooding to south-side entry of the Sydney Harbour Tunnel brought traffic to a halt, with police warning motorists to seek alternative routes across the harbour. The M5 tunnel at Arncliffe also began filling with water.

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media_camera Snow falls in Oberon / Picture: Matt Black Productions

media_camera Roads flooded at Juno Pde and Punchbowl Rd, Greenacre / Picture: Bill Hearne

media_camera Blackheath / Picture: Twitter ‏@colonelkickhead

media_camera Blackheath / Picture: Lindsay Holmwood

media_camera Blackheath train station / Picture: Lindsay Holmwood