Bomb cyclone updates: NSW, Sydney lashed with wild winds and rain as itensifying system moves in

West Australian

a day ago

A fast-approaching and intensifying weather event dubbed a 'bomb cyclone' is on the doorstep of the NSW coast, with almost the entire State's eastern coastline under warning from the SES and the NSW Government.
From midday, Sydneysiders near the coastline were told to 'stay indoors' by the NSW SES.
Intense rain in city areas has begun, with regional areas copping an aggressive lashing of rain and wind.
On Tuesday, the NSW SES raised the alarm over dangerous winds and intense rain.
'The NSW SES is advising people in the following areas to STAY INDOORS due to damaging winds, destructive winds: Coastal Areas between Bulli and Collaroy,' one warning said.
In the Greater Sydney area, warnings are in place in areas including Liverpool, Milperra, Penrith, Wallacia, Windsor, North Richmond and Camden
'Flash flooding is a high risk throughout the East Coast, where heavy rain could cut roads without warning. If you do need to be on the roads, drive with caution as we are expecting to see flash flooding by the afternoon commute,' the SES said.
The system, however, stretches far beyond Greater Sydney.
From Bega on the NSW south coast, to Coffs Harbour on the north, residents are being warned of 'rapid' rain bursts.
'This system is fast-moving, different to recent events, and will bring rapid, heavy, short and sharp rain bursts,' NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz said on Tuesday.
The BOM (Bureau of Meteorology) has warned of 120mm falling in just six hours in parts of Sydney and the Illawarra, and has told coastline residents to brace for 125km/h winds.
'A severe weather warning is current for Heavy rainfall, which may lead to flash flooding, is developing in the Illawarra south of Wollongong later today, extending southwards to reach Bega in the South Coast by evening,' the BOM said on Tuesday morning.
Emergency services are reminding Australians not to drive, walk, swim or play in floodwater.
'People should stay away from flooded drains, rivers streams and waterways,' the NSW SES said on Tuesday.
As the 'bomb cyclone' weather front ramps up, safety officials have forced Sydney Airport to scale back to one operational runway amid flight cancellation chaos.
Millions of residents are being affected by the massive storm front that is hammering large areas of the east coast as Virgin and Jetstar cancel flights and commuters are warned by the SES about the afternoon journey home.
Airservices Australia, the government body responsible for making air traffic safety calls, made the call to shut all but one runway.
'Airservices Australia has now enacted single runway operations at Sydney Airport due to strong south-westerly winds,' a statement said.
'This adheres to our International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) safety regulations for runway usage amid inclement weather.
'Safety is Airservices' No.1 remit; this decision is purely weather and safety-related to safeguard the travelling public.'
Dubbed a 'bomb cyclone,' the system is technically known as bombogenesis, which is a rapidly developing storm that forms when atmospheric pressure drops sharply over a short period, creating an unstable air mass.
The exact threshold for this pressure drop varies with latitude. In the Tasman Sea, it ranges from a fall of 18 hectopascals in 24 hours near Tasmania to 13 hectopascals closer to the NSW-Queensland border.
This particular system is forecast to drop between 22 and 24 hectopascals per day, easily surpassing the bombogenesis threshold.
The result? Torrential rain, destructive winds, and dangerous surf conditions across much of NSW.
The Bureau's Community Information Lead, Angus Hines, said that the current event is shaping to bring most of the rainfall south, but warned it could take a subtle shift to bring some heavier rain into the mid north coast.