From late afternoon, heavy rain and/or damaging wind gusts are possible with severe storms across parts of NSW’s south coast. Saturated conditions increase the risk of flash flooding. Isolated storms elsewhere east of a trough, the bureau of meteorology, Queensland tweeted.
The Hawkesbury River is rising as rain batters much of NSW’s coast.
Floodwaters in Ballina have risen further with the town slowly being inundated further. Locals have been seen kayaking through streets in an effort to check homes.
However, people have started returning to their devastated homes in Lismore.
This is close to the CBD’s Main Street. Businesses totally gutted, bins in trees, street signs ripped down. Residents and owners returning to a grim picture. @9NewsAUS pic.twitter.com/GOsuBvzIej
— James Wilson (@WesternWilson9) March 1, 2022
Warragamba Dam has started to spill over, as Sydney and the NSW South Coast brace for a day of severe weather.
The dam, the primary water supply for Sydney, reached capacity at about 3am and it is expected to stay at that level for two weeks.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued several flood warnings for the Sydney area including the Upper Nepean at Menangle, the Hawkesbury River at Richmond and Windsor and the Colo River at Upper Colo.
