22/05/2025
TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
Severe Weather Warning
for HEAVY RAINFALL
For people in Mid North Coast, Illawarra and parts of Hunter, Metropolitan, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains and Northern Tablelands Forecast Districts.
Issued at 4:28 pm Thursday, 22 May 2025.
Heavy rainfall to ease over the Mid North Coast overnight, but will develop over parts of the Great Dividing Range during this evening and continue into Friday.
Weather Situation: A coastal trough in the Mid North Coast continues to drift to the south this evening. A persistent and very moist onshore flow to the south of this trough is causing widespread areas of rain, with heavy showers and isolated thunderstorms. Conditions across the Mid North Coast are finally expected to ease during Thursday night, with the focus of the rainfall shifting to parts of the southern Hunter, Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands. During Friday morning heavy rainfall will extend further south to the Southern Tablelands and inland parts of the South Coast.
For the MID NORTH COAST AND ADJACENT NORTHERN TABLELANDS AND HUNTER: Moderate rainfall with isolated areas of HEAVY RAINFALL leading to FLASH FLOODING is ongoing, and is forecast to ease by around midnight. Six-hourly rainfall totals between 60 and 100 mm are likely.
For PARTS OF THE GREAT DIVIDING RANGE FROM THE SOUTHERN HUNTER TO AROUND BEGA: Ongoing moderate rainfall is expected to become HEAVY RAINFALL leading to FLASH FLOODING north of Goulburn from late this evening, before extending further south along the ranges to around Bega during Friday morning. Six-hourly rainfall totals of 60 to 90 mm are possible with 24-hourly totals between 100 and 150 mm.
Rainfall is expected to ease gradually through central parts of the state later Friday evening, before easing over the southeast during Saturday morning.
A Flood Watch and various Flood Warnings are current for multiple catchments. A Damaging Surf Warning is also current for coastal areas of the Mid North Coast. Please refer to http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/
Locations which may be affected include Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Taree, Kempsey, Bowral, Braidwood, Bega, Katoomba, Goulburn, Woolgoolga, Sawtell and Dorrigo.
The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
* Don't drive, ride or walk through flood water.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
* If you are trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place and ring 000 if you need rescue.
* Be aware that run-off from rainfall in fire affected areas may behave differently and be more rapid. It may also contain debris such as ash, soil, trees and rocks.
* After bushfires, heavy rain and the loss of foliage can make the ground soft and heavy, leading to a greater chance of landslides.
* Stay vigilant and monitor conditions. Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires.
* For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.
The next Severe Weather Warning will be issued by 11:00 pm AEST Thursday.
Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts, the Bureau's website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 210. The Bureau and State Emergency Service would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.
