Sydney weather: Emergency services brace for more storms

  22 March 2017    Read: 1642
Sydney weather: Emergency services brace for more storms
IT’S fast turning into one of the wettest March months in history - and this afternoon here’s another downpour.
A storm front is bearing down on Sydney, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of severe thunderstorms for a second straight commute.

Already, lightning is crashing down in Penrith, a howling gale is threatening to tear off the tarpaulins on the storm-damaged homes of Kellyville and there’s flash flooding in Paramatta.

A fallen tree on to power lines at St Marys has begun the nightmare for commuters with westbound lanes on the Great Western Highway diverted via. Marsden Street.

Buses are being laid on to replace ferries due to the Parramatta Weir overflowing and the NSW SES have reported more than 100 calls.



Penrith NRL coach Phil Gould possted to Twitter: “Panthers Academy lightning bolts .. Oh mama!!!”

The Bureau of Meteorology satellite map at 4pm.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting rainfall of up to 15mm across Sydney with the possibility of a storm.

At lunchtime, however, the skies were bright and the sun visible, but the stick 29C temperatures and 70 per cent humidity hinted at what was coming.

The muggy weather appears to have decieved beachgoers in Manly who have been spotted in bikinis and swimsuits.

At 12.30pm the Bureau Of Meteorology issued an alert for storms to affect the Young area, near Wagga Wagga and just before 4pm extended the warning to the Sydney metro area.



The wet weather had been forecast to clear up on Sunday, but Sydney now appears on course for a drenching until at least early next week.

Duty forecaster Rebecca Kamitakahara said storms were likely to hit commuters in Sydney this afternoon as a southerly change moves up the coast acting as an “extra trigger” for thunderstorms.

“Unfortunately it is expected to hit in the late afternoon, early evening when most people are making their commute,” Ms Kamitakahara said.

There are also flood warnings active for the Clarence, Nepean, Orara and Bogan Rivers. Richmond, in Sydney north west, copped the most rain yesterday with 53mm falling. Marrickville was hit with 48mm and Abbotsford saw 36mm.

Ms Kamitakahara said Sydney had already exceeded its monthly rain average, with 248.6mm falling so far — almost double the 129mm expected. The record average for March is 521.4mm which was recorded in 1942.

Sydney has now seen 19 rainy days in March - already above the monthly average of 13.6 wet days.

An apocalyptic storm cloud rises ominously above Sydney just after lunch. Picture: Bob Barker.

Yesterday’s downpour caused chaos across the city, with power cut to about 4800 homes and businesses in the Blue Mountains and Western Sydney.

The soaked-through shirts and sold-out umbrellas gave some idea of how locals were taken by surprise, with BOM not getting their warning out until almost 4pm.

Trains between Quakers Hill and Riverstone on the T1 Western line were also cancelled due to lightning strikes.

The sunrise at Bondi’s Marks Park this morning gave little to indicate potential storms later today. Picture: John Grainger.

Torrential rain in Camden

“It’s disappointing that people are continuing to risk their lives by attempting to drive through floodwater,” Mr Campbell said.

“We’re encouraging people to have conversations with any friends and family they know who have driven through flood water in the past to warn them about the dangers.”

/Daily Telegraph/

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