A massive storm that dumped as much as 200mm of rain on some parts of NSW in just 24 hours could lead to more thunderstorms.
Forecasters warn a low-pressure system over NSW combined with warm water in the Tasman Sea could bring more rain before the weekend, with storms likely to focus on the south-eastern corner of NSW and eastern Victoria on Thursday afternoon.
Angus Hines from the Bureau of Meteorology said rainfall totals could reach 100mm in some areas, causing flash flooding as “the problem with these storms is that they come on quickly and overwhelm the drainage system.”
Sydney could see a storm on Thursday afternoon, although rainfall totals are unlikely to exceed 40mm.
The Bureau has currently issued severe weather warnings for heavy rainfall and damaging winds for the South Coast and Snowy Mountains regions of NSW, including Bega and surrounding areas.
The accumulated rainfall for the seven days up to and including Sunday 3 December. The heaviest rainfall is expected in the purple areas on Thursday
Sydney was drenched in a wild storm on Wednesday afternoon (photo). Another storm could arrive Thursday afternoon, but it will be less severe
In Victoria, a severe weather warning has been issued for the East Gippsland, Northeast and South Gippsland regions.
Flood warnings are also in force for waterways in those areas, particularly Lake Conjola, the Bega River, Cann River, Genoa River and Thomson River.
Falls of more than 300mm have been recorded in the South Coast District of NSW, flooding homes and prompting multiple rescues by the SES overnight.
Weather Zone meteorologist Anthony Sharwood said it was a “remarkable 24 hours of rain, and not just because of the huge amounts in many areas, but also because of the widespread nature of the falls.”
Porters Creek in NSW by far the highest total in NSW overnight, at a whopping 351mm, located just inland from the Jervis Bay area.
In the 24 hours to 5am on Thursday, the NSW SES responded to 1056 incidents across the state, including more than 500 in the south-east zone.
Operations manager Dallas Burnes said almost 1,200 staff had been deployed to help communities affected by heavy rain.
“A severe weather warning remains in effect for part of the South Coast District with further rain and damaging winds today, but we do expect this to gradually ease over the course of the day,” he told Seven’s Sunrise.
The Sydney Basin was also drenched by Wednesday’s downpour, with intense rain drenching the inner city, western suburbs and southern suburbs from late afternoon.
The NSW and Victorian SES received hundreds of calls for help on Wednesday
In Victoria, the SES received 661 calls for help in the 24 hours to 7am on Thursday.
Most came from suburbs in Melbourne’s far east due to trees falling over roads, damage to buildings and some flood-related incidents.
Emergency response is now focused on the Gippsland region in the east of the state, with a severe weather warning for heavy rain and damaging winds for parts of the region.
As of Thursday morning, three separate watch and action warnings were current.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting possible rainfall of 80 to 150mm in the east, plus up to 200mm locally in parts of East Gippsland.
Damaging wind gusts of up to 90 km/h are also possible.
Victoria SES Chief Operations Officer Tim Wiebusch said he could not emphasize enough the importance of never driving through flood water.
“We are especially asking Gippsland residents to ensure they stay on top of their emergency transmitters,” he said.
‘Download your local flood guide to understand what different river heights and different levels can mean.’
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued flood warnings for southeastern NSW and eastern Victoria, particularly around the Bega and Gippsland regions