Sydney suburbs cop more than 100mm of rain as deluge moves south
Steady rain developed late on Thursday and built through the night with the biggest falls recorded in the city's west.
Follow our live coverage of the record NSW floods
Richmond recorded 181 millimetres in the 24 hours to 9am on Friday, with 116mm in Penrith, 113mm in Hornsby, 103mm in Auburn, 102mm in North Parramatta, 100mm at Belrose in the city's north and 92mm and 88mm at Canterbury and Marrickville, respectively.
About 110mm has also been recorded at Darkes Forest, between Sydney and Wollongong.
The flooding north of Sydney was caused by the system lingering, but Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Anges Hines the wild weather is now on the move south.
"What that means [is] rain clearing out of the Hunter by about midday, rain clearing out of Sydney by this afternoon … and then it will be the Illawarra and the South Coast of NSW seeing further rain into the evening," he said.
Flooding has cut road and rail lines north of Sydney and in parts of the city.
Limited bus services are replacing trains with the Hunter Line out of action because of flooding at Sandgate.
In Sydney, flooding cut Richmond Road, Cattai Road, Pitt Town Road, the Wakehurst Parkway and the Audley Weir in the Royal National Park.
NSW SES warned there was enough rain expected to present the risk of flash flooding, storm-related incidents and minor flooding on the Colo, Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers.
SES Metro Zone responded to 327 incidents in the 24 hours to 5am Friday.
"The real risk over the next 24 hours is flash flooding, with heavy rainfall totals between 60 and 100mm possible," Assistant Commissioner Colin Malone said.
"[Sydney] roads may become cut quickly and without warning. We ask the community to remain vigilant and never drive through flooded areas."
The SES is expecting heavy rainfall to extend further south to the Southern Tablelands and inland South Coast later on Friday, affecting Bowral, Braidwood, Bega, Katoomba, Goulburn, Nerriga and Captains Flat.
In addition to the rain, swimmers and surfers have been warned large and powerful surf conditions are expected along the coast.
Authorities say a spill at Sydney's Warragamba Dam is now less likely after overnight rain over the catchment came in below the highest forecasts.
Water NSW says it will continue to monitor dam inflows and rainfall throughout the day.
The dam is currently 96 per cent full.
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