Australia's east coast braces for wild weather as low pressure system grows
A powerful weather system is expected to drench and batter New South Wales and eastern Victoria this week as a low pressure area intensifies off the east coast.
Days of persistent rain, strong to damaging winds and dangerous ocean conditions were forecast for NSW and Victoria's Gippsland region from Monday evening, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
The bureau said a predicted vigorous coastal low was expected to deliver persistent rainfall on Tuesday and Wednesday. Totals could reach 50 to 150mm in 48 hours, with some places expected to record more than 200mm.
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The heaviest falls were expected for the NSW Central Coast, including Sydney and the Hunter regions, as well as parts of the Illawarra and south coast, said a senior meteorologist, Angus Hines. But it would only take a 'subtle shift' to send the rain north to areas that were 'extremely sensitive to rain'.
'One area which we're watching really closely is the mid north coast of New South Wales, because this area is still recovering after record rain and record flooding during May.'
Riverine and flash flooding was a 'distinct possibility', Hines said.
Strong to damaging wind gusts would also become widespread, affecting the east coast from southern Queensland to eastern Victoria.
'Winds of this strength are certainly strong enough to bring down trees and branches, damage property and cause power outages,' Hines said.
Conditions were expected to be treacherous on the water, with the potential for waves up to seven metres, and could cause coastal erosion and possible inundation of low-lying areas along the eastern foreshore, he said.
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The NSW State Emergency Service was urging people to prepare by tying down any loose items, to avoid them becoming projectiles.
An assistant commissioner, Allison Flaxman, said destructive winds and flash flooding were a significant risk.
'If you do come across flash flooding while driving, do not take the risk of driving through flood waters,' she said.
'It doesn't take much water to move your vehicle, and you don't know what damage has been done to the road surface underneath the flood waters.'
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