SYDNEY was told to batten down the hatches and brace for the mother of all storms yesterday afternoon but isolated heavy rainfalls and some flash flooding was all the city endured.

Bureau of Metrology forecaster Jakes Phillips said while there were falls of more than 80mm in some parts of southern and northern NSW, the highest rainfall in Sydney since 9am yesterday was only 29.4mm at Badgerys Creek.

Mr Philips said predictions of falls as high as 200mm didn’t originate from his office.

“The forecast was always for showers and rain, the reports of 200mm didn’t come from us,” he said.

“It can be hit and miss, Canberra is a good example, Tuggeranong had 81.8mm, while just north Canberra Airport had 33mm.”

media_camera Umina Beach, NSW, 3pm: The flooding begins to hit parts of NSW, turning roads to swamps. Picture: Scoopshot / Kate Donovan

The SES had 191 calls for help with all but 30 dealt with yesterday.

Around half (88) were in Sydney, while there were 35 calls in the Southern Highlands and 32 in the Hunter.

The heaviest of the rainfall between 2 to 3pm was 55.8mm in Newcastle and 55.4mm fell in 60 minutes at Nobbys Head.

Nobbys Head ended up with the most rain since 9am yesterday with 99mm, while Gosford had 56.6mm.

The state’s west also enjoyed significant falls with 52.4mm at Nullo Mountain east of Mudgee, 41.4mm at Bathurst Airport and 37.8mm at Trangie near Dubbo.

In Sydney Bankstown had 27.4mm and Sydney Harbour 22mm..

SES spokeswoman Jennifer Finlay said most calls for help were for leaky roofs and tree damage and they were also bemused by the predictions of weather Armageddon.

media_camera The skies over Sydney last night were perhaps giving a portent of what is to come today.

“It was not even close; we were a bit shocked and perplexed it was seen as such a media event. The data showed there would be storms but nothing severe, there were no high wind gusts,” she said.

“The storms hit by 2pm, by 4pm we were really busy and by 6pm it had calmed down a bit. There were falls of 50mm that came down in a short period of time.”

The mid north coast and north east of NSW can expect rain and storms this afternoon.

“We will see falls in the order of 10 to 20mm and there could be isolated falls over 50mm,” Mr Phillips said.

Sydney can expect a top a 27C today, but little rain, with the humidity, a muggy 70 per cent, set to drop in coming days as drier air blows into the city.

media_camera The storm arrives in Newcastle / Picture: Peter Lorimer.

YESTERDAY’S WEATHER AS IT HAPPENED

HUMID tropical air from Queensland and a series of severe thunderstorms caused flash flooding and heavy rain across Sydney and eastern parts of the state yesterday.

The State Emergency Service received 125 calls for help across the state, including at least 10 in Sydney, for leaking roofs and fallen trees.

Severe weather warnings were issued for heavy rainfall and damaging winds in parts of Greater Newcastle, the Upper Hunter, Central Coast and in the state’s south, including coastal areas and Snowy Mountains, and the ACT.

media_camera Students leaving the UNSW Campus at Kensington / Picture: John Appleyard

Emergency authorities had been so concerned about the potential impact of the storms on public transport services and major road arteries during the evening peak period they urged bosses to let employees leave work early.

media_camera Newcastle's Alan Milne contemplates going for a surf on Main Beach / Picture: Peter Lorimer.

One lane of Rocky Point Rd at Kogarah was closed due to flooding. At Bexley North, Bexley Rd was closed because of water over the road, while at Gosford traffic on the Central Coast Hwy was disrupted after heavy rain led to overflowing stormwater drains.

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Flooding in Industrial Dr at Tighes Hill in Newcastle affected traffic in all directions, and there was water across the Newell Hwy near Gilgandra in the state’s central west.

In the state’s south, traffic on the Hume Hwy at Coolac, between Yass and Gundagai, was affected, while winds felled a tree on the Newell Hwy, about 20km north of West Wyalong.

media_camera People shelter from the rain as they leave UNSW Campus at Kensington / Picture: John Appleyard

Commuters were also disrupted by a series of road accidents and breakdowns after 5pm, including a three-car crash on Sunnyholt Rd at Blacktown; a broken-down bus on York St in the CBD; a truck and a car collision on Narellan Rd at Campbelltown, and an accident on Qantas Dr at Mascot.

media_camera Roads flooded at Gosford / Picture: Twitter

Train travellers were delayed when peak services on most lines were disrupted after a person was killed by a train between Ashfield and Croydon stations at 5pm.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Katarina Kovacevic said that between 3pm and 4pm, 55.8mm of rain fell in Newcastle and 55.4mm fell in 60 minutes at Nobbys Head.