Severe thunderstorm warning for Sydney as heatwave set to ease

Parts of NSW have been issued with severe thunderstorm warnings as the east coast braces for another weekend of wet weather after a days-long heatwave gripped much of the nation’s south.

Gosford, Wyong, parts of western Sydney, the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury areas have been warned that thunderstorms could bring damaging winds, hail and heavy rain this afternoon.

Severe thunderstorms are expected to hit Hornsby and Gosford first before moving south. 

The storms were forecast to hit Baulkham Hills, Blacktown and Maroota by 4.30pm, while Parramatta, Calga and Horsley Park were warned to be in the firing line from 5pm.

There are also general thunderstorm warnings for the Hunter, Central Highlands and parts of the Mid North Coast, Metropolitan, Illawarra, South Coast, Southern Highlands, Northwest Slopes and Plains, Central West Slopes and Plains, Lower West, Upper West, Snowy Mountains, northern plains, southwestern slopes and Riverina areas.

Sarah Scully, a meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), warned that large parts of the country elsewhere could expect heavy rainfall this evening.

“Strong thunderstorms are possible over a wide area, particularly inland north-east New South Wales and southern interior Queensland, as well as eastern South Australia, western New South Wales and western Victoria,” she said.

“The main risk is heavy rainfall, but damaging winds are also possible.

“And for Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide they could see storms, possibly severe in some of the outer suburbs.”

Parts of Queensland may be susceptible to severe flooding if rainfall hits regions that have already been inundated with rain.

“Thunderstorms are possible in most areas for Queensland today,” Scully said.

“Severe storms can bring heavy rainfall to parts of the southern interior, and this is where river systems are already really swollen, increasing the risk of river and flash flooding.”