As new evacuation orders are issued in parts of Sydney, people in New South Wales are being asked to prepare for more rain today.
The forecast is for heavier rains, with the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) saying an east coast low is likely to develop during Sunday, which will remain on the coast until Monday. It will be accompanied by locally strong winds and great sea.
As a result, river levels, which began to rise on Saturday, are expected to be really affected today and until Monday or Tuesday.
The forecast is for heavier rains and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) says it is likely that a minimum of the east coast will develop during Sunday (weather zone)
A series of flood warnings have already been issued, with the BoM warning that heavy rains could lead to a total of six hours of up to 150 mm over the next few days.
Over the next few days a low-intensity flood warning has been issued on the Hawkesbury, Nepean and Colo rivers.
Although major floods are possible in Menangle and North Richmond as of today.
Severe weather warnings remain in effect for Metropolitan, Illawarra and parts of the Hunter, Central Tablelands and Southern Tablelands forecast districts.
Heavy rain is expected to extend beyond Illawarra and the northern end of the south coast to the wider Sydney area, including the Blue Mountains.
The flood has already seen some parts of the state triple its monthly average rainfall during the first two days of July.
Shellharbour reported 3.2 times the average July rain for 24 hours through 9 a.m. Saturday, according to Weatherzone, recording a staggering 193 mm on the indicators.
Albion Park (172 mm, 3.1 times the monthly average), Beaumont (161 mm, 1.6x average) and Nowra (126 mm – 1.9x average) also recorded rainfall that exceeded their July rainfall averages. .
WaterNSW predicts the Warragamba Dam will be dumped around 9am due to major falls in Sydney’s water catchment area. They say the spill could last up to two weeks.
WaterNSW warns that Warragamba dam is likely to spill around 9am due to major falls in Sydney’s water catchment (Photo: Nov. 2021) (9News)
Trains and ferry services have already been affected by the rains and the weather has contributed to the chaos of travel at Sydney Airport when the school holidays begin.
Travelers are asked to avoid traveling if they can.
Heavy showers have kept NSW State Emergency Service (SES) crews busy, with hundreds of assistance calls on Saturday and dozens of rescues.
This included a woman in her 20s, who was trapped in a tree in floodwaters for more than an hour near the train station in Harris Creek, in the Sydney suburb of Holsworthy.
The heavy rain continues to keep NSW SES teams busy, with hundreds of attendance calls today. (Supplied)
SES teams rescued the woman from the waters and escorted her back ashore by boat.
People in parts of Sydney have been told to evacuate, with new warnings issued by emergency services warning of rising waters.
Evacuation orders for the lowlands of Woronora were issued just after midnight and join the growing list of regions where residents have been told to leave.
Previous evacuations were ordered in various areas around the Liverpool Georges River, such as Warwick Farm, Georges Hill, Lansvale and Chipping Norton, as well as parts of Moorebank.
Two occupants rescued from a vehicle in Bexley in flood waters. (Supplied)
Residents in the Camden area were initially given until 10 a.m. Sunday to evacuate, but around 1:30 a.m., low-lying properties in Cut Hill and Cobbitty were told to leave. as the situation increased.
“Once the water reaches 3.8 meters in the Liverpool Gauge, the area will be isolated,” the SES said.
“If you stay in the area, you may be trapped without electricity, water and other essential services and it may be too dangerous to rescue yourself.”
Residents are advised to stay with family, friends or in accommodation outside the floodplains.
You can get the latest rainfall levels and heights from NSW rivers here. Two occupants rescued from a vehicle in Bexley in flood waters. (Supplied)
The SES plans to issue emergency alert SMS messages overnight and in the coming days to Hawkesbury-Nepean Basin communities.
The SES said the lower Hawkesbury-Nepean communities will receive warnings that they could be affected by flooding depending on the distribution of rainfall and when evacuations are needed.
Areas expected to receive warnings include: Menangle, Liverpool, Milperra, Camden, North Richmond, Wallacia, Penrith, Sackville, Upper Colo and Windsor.
“If you receive a text message from +61 444 444 444, it’s an official alert that requires attention and action soon,” the SES said, asking people not to think it’s a scam and ignore the message.
“If you have been affected by floods in the past, you may be affected again.
“Communities can now prepare by understanding their risk and monitoring weather conditions.
Accumulated total rainfall expected over the next five days. (weather zone)
“Protect yourself, property and livestock by acting early and avoiding flooded roads. If you need to arrange accommodation with family and friends, get ready now.
“If you have a vacation booked, stay away from flood-prone areas and plan your trips carefully.”
Currently, the downpour extends from Port Stephens in the north to Batemans Bay in the south and everywhere.
Emergency Services and Resilience Minister Steph Cooke told NSW residents that those in the affected areas should remain on alert as strange conditions are expected to worsen over the weekend.
“My message to everyone today is that if the rains haven’t affected you yet, don’t think they’ve saved you,” Cooke said yesterday.
Currently, the downpour extends from Port Stevens in the north to Batemans Bay in the south and everywhere. (9 News)
“Perhaps we have not seen the worst yet: there is a very real threat of an east coast downturn that will unfold until Sunday.
“This could cause torrential rains, sudden floods, harmful winds and coastal erosion, making our coast and our cities very dangerous places to be.”
Cooke said that given the “record rains” the state has experienced this year, the soil is still saturated.
“In fact, our entire landscape, almost all of NSW, is saturated right now,” Cooke said.
“And it’s clear that our dams and river canals are full too.”
Meanwhile, Queensland will see up to 25 millimeters of rain over the weekend before conditions are temporarily reduced.
The weather system could pick up again on Monday, causing more wet weather in the state of Sunshine.
Sudden floods and river floods are “very real” risks in the coming days.
Cooke said “this could happen anywhere from Newcastle to Jervis Bay”, with the river system “of most concern” in Hawkesbury-Nepean.
Helicopters, unimogs and other assets have been deployed to ensure they can respond quickly in the event of an emergency.
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Cooke urged residents to monitor clocks, warnings and orders issued by the Bureau of Meteorology, the SES and other emergency services in the coming days.
“Please be prepared to evacuate shortly in advance,” he said.
“Please make sure you prepare your properties in the best way possible, prepare your families and pets if necessary, and in case of doubt, evacuate early.
“You don’t necessarily wait for us to place an order, asking or suggesting you leave.”