Flash flooding warnings for Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle and parts of south-east Queensland, as rain brings relief to fire grounds

This article is more than 7 months old

This article is more than 7 months old

Heavy rain is drenching large swathes of eastern New South Wales, forcing road closures and sparking concerns about the risk of flash flooding.

The NSW State Emergency Service said on Friday morning it had received 215 call-outs since midnight and more than 500 since the rain set in on Wednesday.

In the northern rivers region, a car was washed off the road and two people had to be rescued from a caravan due to rising floodwaters.

“It hasn’t been anything too concerning so far but we’ve had to do a couple of rescues due to isolation and there have been a lot of reports of roof damage and water coming into properties,” SES spokesman David Webber said on Friday.

Norma Costello (@normcos) Going to the shop in Byron Bay now requires a wetsuit pic.twitter.com/Aet6MdFFyL

On Friday morning the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning that stretched along the coast from the south of Wollongong up to Lismore in the north.

Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle, where torrential rain fell, could all be affected by flooding, the bureau said.

A senior bureau meteorologist, Dean Sgarbossa, said there had been significant rainfall across northern NSW and south-east Queensland.

Byron Bay recorded the biggest fall, with 281mm since 9am on Thursday, Sgarbossa told Radio National. Most areas from the Central Coast of NSW up to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland had seen consistent falls of between 20mm and 50mm.

Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) Rainfall since 9am yesterday.https://t.co/9w82CToBbm

Byron Bay at the top with 281mm as of 8am Friday. pic.twitter.com/uBy1yDf5qg

Inland areas that had been suffering from drought had also recorded decent falls. But Sgarbossa said there was a danger that a low-pressure system could develop within a broader coastal trough, “and that can concentrate quite intense rainfall that can lead to flash flooding, water over roads and even riverine flooding”.

The road to the Jenolan Caves, south-west of Katoomba, was closed due to fears the heavy rain could cause landslides.

“There are also a significant number of loose rock fragments which have an increased likelihood of rolling down the slope and on to the road,” a Transport for NSW spokesman said.

“Given current weather forecasts are predicting heavy and prolonged rainfall in the area over the coming days – the first in the area since the bushfires – it is essential for safety reasons that the road is closed until it can be assessed safe for traffic.”

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The executive director of NSW Maritime, Mark Hutchings, said conditions were also dangerous out at sea. “Skippers and owners of small boats should be on high alert and check the conditions before considering crossing a coastal bar or heading offshore,” he said.

The NSW Rural Fire Service said the heavy rain was welcome in bushfire-ravaged parts of the state.

Elysse Morgan (@ElysseMorgan) So great to see Sydney skyline and the Harbour Bridge disappearing beneath a rain cloud instead of smoke pic.twitter.com/Lk3Skluwmx

“We were over the moon to see rain arrive across many parts of NSW, with decent falls in the state’s north,” the RFS said on Thursday night.

RFS commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons shared his delight about rainfall expected on fire grounds.

“So nice listening to rain falling last night and driving with windscreen wipers on for a change this morning,” he tweeted.

South-east Queensland also had heavy falls on Thursday night, with the BoM issuing flood warnings for the Sunshine Coast hinterland.

Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) ⚠️ #QldStorm warning issued for the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. Particularly heavy rainfall is occurring about the Sunshine Coast hinterland with 93mm in an hour near Yandina, likely causing flash flooding. Stay up to date with warnings: https://t.co/mB2BWDwK2O pic.twitter.com/kJnFpnt83Y

Coastal areas have been warned to expect strong winds as well as a lot more rain over the weekend. Mitchell Harley, a coastal researcher at the University of NSW, said 5.5m waves forecast for high tide on Sunday morning in Sydney could potentially replicate conditions similar to the 2016 storm, when parts of houses in the northern beaches suburb of Collaroy were destroyed and large sections of the beach were washed away.

The deluge is threatening a number of sporting events at the weekend, above all the Big Bash League final, which is scheduled for the SCG on Saturday night.

The Melbourne Stars won through to their third final after downing the Sydney Thunder by 28 runs in Thursday night’s preliminary final. But forecasters are predicting up to 90mm of rain in Sydney on Saturday alone, and a minimum of five overs a team is required to constitute a completed Twenty20 match.

The Sixers, having earned hosting rights, will be awarded the title if there is no result. No spare day has been allocated in case of rain.

The bushfire relief charity game, which had been scheduled as a curtain-raiser to the BBL final, has been moved to Melbourne’s Junction Oval on Sunday, and has lost a number of stars who had committed to play.