Wild weather hits Australia’s east coast: High winds and flash floods in Queensland, NSW

Two people are dead and five injured as violent storms and floods lash the east coast of Australia

New South Wales residents have been urged to prepare for wild weather that earlier lashed south east Queensland, causing flash flooding and knocking down trees, during the first weekend of winter.

Violent storms in Australia’s east coast on Saturday which caused widespread damage and flash flooding in New South Wales and Queensland has killed at least two people and injured five others.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued flood watches and severe weather warnings for both states, as a low moves down the seaboard.

According to the ABC, about 20,000 properties on the Endeavour Energy, Essential Energy And Ausgrid networks in Sydney and across the state were without power at 8:00pm on Saturday.

Heavy rain and gale force winds have hit Sydney and NSW, resulting in more than 2,000 calls to NSW SES for assistance across the state so far.

“We are going to experience over the next 48 hours increased rainfall and heavy winds — the public needs to take care in these conditions,” Deputy State Emergency Operations Controller Acting Assistance Commissioner Kyle Stewart said.

“Our message is clear — do not put your life or that of emergency service personnel in danger.”

Gale force winds reached up to 117 km per hour in Sydney today with 102 km per hour gusts felt in Wollongong.

The Bureau of Meteorology also declared a severe weather warning along the entire NSW coast for what meteorologists believe is the first time in 30 years.

BoM senior meteorologist Adam Morgan said it’s unusual to see an east coast low tracking southward, and that it had brought about an unusual warning situation.

‘We’ve got forecasters in NSW that can’t remember in 30 years having a flood watch out for the entire NSW coast,’ he said.

The east coast low is set to hit the metropolitan centres of Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle on Saturday night, bringing heavy rain, damaging winds and king tides.

Heavy rainfall of up to 150mm is likely for much of the affected area, with localised rainfall of up to 300mm in some areas.

Gale force winds of 100km/h and coastal wave heights of up to 15m have also been predicted.

More than 100 power lines are down across Sydney and several houses have lost roofs, including a unit block evacuated in the eastern Sydney suburb of Vaucluse.

Vivid Sydney organisers have also urged visitors to postpone their visit to the citywide light show tonight, after wild winds damaged some installations, including the crowd favourite Cathedral of Light at the Royal Botanic Garden.

Weather Forecast:

SYDNEY 

Saturday: Min 14, Max 21. Windy with rain

Sunday: Min 13, Max 22. Heavy rain

BRISBANE

Saturday: Min 16, Max 21. Rain

Sunday: Min 15, Max 21. Showers     

 

ADELAIDE

Saturday : Min 10, Max 16. Mostly sunny

Sunday: Min 11, Max 18. Shower or two  

 

DARWIN

Saturday: Min 24, Max 32. Sunny

Sunday: Min 24, Max 33. Partly cloudy