NSW flood warnings: Wild weather lashes east and west coasts as SES issues warnings across three states

Wet and freezing weather is smashing the east and west coast of the country, bringing prolonged rain and flood warnings across three states for the rest of the week.

NSW and Queensland residents are particularly set for a gruelling Thursday, with rainfall totals forecast to nudge triple digits across the two days.

Isolated falls of up to 120mm are forecast on Thursday for the east coast and tablelands, while the city’s rain gauge collected nearly 70mm overnight. Canterbury recorded more than 50mm, and Richmond and Terrey Hills each received over 40mm.

“Large patches on the NSW east coast will continue to receive that prolonged rainfall, particularly around the Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast area, as well as Sydney and the Illawarra,” Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said.

The NSW SES now warns northern and northwestern NSW could also be hit by flash flooding and rising river levels overnight as heavy rainfall begins late in the day in areas west of Tamworth.

The forecast is expected to peak on Thursday before starting to ease on Friday.

“This rain will also impact South East Queensland, particularly south of Brisbane in the Darling Downs region,” Mr Hines said.

“The risk with the rainfall this week is not how fast it will come or how heavy it is, it’s really the prolonged nature of the rain over the course of a couple of days.

“Across NSW and Queensland, it’s likely to rain for several hours, even if it’s only 5mm to 10mm an hour. At the end of the day that’s a lot in the rain gauge.”

The Bureau of Meteorology said widespread falls of 30–70mm have already been recorded along the east coast and northern slopes, with Port Macquarie (115mm), Maria River (113mm) and Lake Cathie (111mm) among the hardest hit.

The bureau has extended flood watches to 15 other rivers in NSW, stretching from the Mid North Coast to the Hunter Region, including the Macdonald River just north of Sydney.

NSW SES is on standby to perform flood rescues if necessary.

“We’re sending aviation assets, high clearance vehicles and crews into the areas likely to be impacted by this rainfall,” NSW SES Assistant Commissioner Colin Malone said.

Urging drivers to take extra care on the roads and drive according to the conditions, NSW SES have warned that the heavy rainfall is expected to renew flooding around the state.

South East Queensland and NSW have already been dealt heavy overnight rains.

In the 24 hours to 9am, the highest rainfalls were 74mm at Parrearra on the Sunshine Coast, 71mm at Point Perpendicular in Jervis Bay and 42mm at Rose Bay in Sydney.

The extended deluge is expected to ease from Friday.

Perth received 53mm in the 22 hours to 7am, putting the city on track to eclipse its August average of 122.7mm.

That would make it the first time since 1996 that above-average rainfall has fallen in each of the winter months in Perth.

A cold front is also bringing freezing temperatures and heavy rains to Western Australia, drenching Perth, Bunbury, Manjimup and Albany in the state’s southwest.