NSW: Storms expected around Sydney, flooding in north-west NSW

AAP General News (Australia)
12-27-2007
NSW: Storms expected around Sydney, flooding in north-west NSW

SYDNEY, Dec 27 AAP - The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued a severe thunderstorm
warning for parts of NSW, with heavy rain, hail and flash flooding expected to hit this
afternoon.

A BoM spokesman said the warning was issued at midday (AEDT) today for the Hunter and
Central Tablelands, Illawarra and western parts of metropolitan Sydney.

Richmond and surrounding areas could be affected, and hail had already begun falling
in Lithgow and Katoomba at 1pm (AEDT), the spokesman said.

"We are expecting a few showers and then a chance of afternoon thunderstorms, mainly
in the west (metro) area," the spokesman said.

Sydney city could also expect some showers this afternoon or early evening.

Elsewhere in the state, slow-moving floodwaters and stormy weather are expected to
create more havoc for property owners in north-west NSW this weekend.

After floodwaters stranded dozens of properties in Coonamble on Christmas Eve, the
State Emergency Service (SES) is now warning of potential floods in Nyngan and other areas
along the Bogan River.

With heavy winds and rain forecast in various parts of the north-west, as well as a
swell of water flooding down from Queensland, the Bogan River is expected to peak on Sunday.

SES spokesman Phil Campbell said there was no direct threat to Nyngan, which should
be well protected by its levee.

"We have the flood peak due to hit Nyngan on Sunday, (but) Nyngan is well protected,"

he told AAP.

"Rural property isolation (is) the most likely problem."

Property owners should keep supplies to last them at least one week, Mr Campbell said.

The SES was also keeping a close eye on the Paroo River and the Warrego River, which
have isolated some properties for as long as a month.

"There's been a bit of extra rain from Queensland, just pushing the Paroo in particular
up again," Mr Campbell said.

In Coonamble, several dozen properties remain cut off for the third day after the Castlereagh
River peaked at 4.75 metres late on Christmas Eve.

SES deputy regional controller in Dubbo, Allen Luzuriaga, said two helicopters were
each doing two to three food drops to local families a day, and more to stranded cattle.

He said there had been no reports of cattle losses, and the water was now slowly, but
surely, receding.

"On Christmas Day, I noted that the water was 0.2 metres over the (Coonamble to Quambone)
road. Today the road is now passable," Mr Luzuriaga said.

AAP cj/hn/jl/mn

KEYWORD: STORMS NSW (FILE PIX AVAILABLE)

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