Eastern Australia prepares for severe thunderstorms as large hailstones and heavy rainfall reach Brisbane and Sydney

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned on Wednesday afternoon that severe weather and large accumulations of small hail could lead to flash flooding in the Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands regions.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for parts of New South Wales, urging residents to brace themselves for large hailstones and torrential rain.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) warned on Wednesday that severe weather and large accumulations of small hail could lead to flash flooding in the Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands regions.

Locations likely to be affected include Lismore, Murwillumbah, Casino, Kyogle, Coraki, and Alstonville, with the severe weather warning extending from approximately Illawarra to the north.

The wild weather could also affect Sydney and the surrounding area.

In a 3 p.m. update, NSW Rural Fire and Rescue said a major storm is currently impacting communities in the Blue Mountain and South Coast areas.

Meanwhile, heavy rain and storm activity in Sydney’s west have indefinitely suspended races at Warwick Farm Racecourse.

The state emergency service has advised residents not to end up in the floodwaters, to remain vigilant, and to monitor conditions.

Sky News Australia Meteorologist Alison Osborne The spring storm season, which usually takes place in October, arrived early this year.

“It could get pretty dramatic this afternoon,” she said Wednesday.

“As the rainband pushes into southern New South Wales, that system will continue to march eastward as a very favorable environment will once again lead to widespread downpours and storms that will flare up through the afternoon this afternoon.”

Osborne said Brisbane and Sydney will face wet and blustery conditions with storms widespread across Queensland and NSW but “unchangeable” in severity.

“If you live in the Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim in Queensland, all the way to the Mid North Coast in NSW and on towards Sydney, there is an increased risk of storms this afternoon and tonight that will be heavy with the risk of gusts in the area. above 90 km/h and also hailstones the size of a grape or larger,” she said.

“The hailstones can definitely dent your car…so maybe you can get that car undercover.”

Storm risk is expected to increase for the eastern states after troughs on Tuesday saw showers and crosswinds drift into eastern NSW and southern Queensland.

A cold front and a trough further south brought rain, gusts, and gales as it moved southeast.

Sky News Australia Meteorologist Rob Sharpe said the recent warm weather could result in thunderstorms “appearing seemingly out of nowhere”.

“These droplets eventually form clouds, and as more and more is sucked up, the clouds become darker and more foreboding. This is when the rain starts to fall and that’s just the beginning.”

Sharpe said the system created perfect conditions for the formation of large hailstones, as well as damaging wind gusts of 90 km/h – and in extreme cases destructive winds of 125 km/h.

“Destructive winds in excess of 125 kilometers per hour can knock a tree out of its roots and cause extensive damage to homes,” he said.

“Thunderstorms happen when the air around us gets really warm and humid, it’s full of moisture, and the warm air starts to rise due to convection and as it rises it cools down, and the moisture in it starts to condense into small droplets of water. or ice cream,” he said.