Source: Bureau of Meteorology

Issued at 11:23 am EDT on Wednesday 2 March 2022 Flood Watch Number: 11

MODERATE FLOODING POSSIBLE FOR THE ILLAWARRA AND SOUTH COAST MINOR FLOODING POSSIBLE FOR PARTS OF THE HUNTER, CENTRAL COAST, SYDNEY AND QUEANBEYAN MAJOR FLOOD WARNINGS ARE CURRENT FOR THE WILSONS, RICHMOND, CLARENCE, HAWKESBURY AND NEPEAN RIVERS

Minor to Major flood warnings are current for many coastal rivers.

A deepening East Coast Low off the central coast of NSW is expected to drift southwestward towards the coast overnight rapidly deepening in response to an amplifying upper trough and low and will continue on this track through Wednesday. At this stage, the system is forecast to approach central and southeastern districts during Wednesday and overnight into Thursday, however, uncertainty exists on its exact timing and where the most significant impacts will occur.

Heavy to torrential rain is likely to the south of the low affecting Hunter, Central Coast, Sydney, Illawarra and the South Coast from Wednesday.

Catchments remain wet, with many NSW dams near capacity.

A Severe Weather Warning for heavy to locally intense rainfall has been issued for Greater Sydney, Central Coast, Illawarra and South Coast and parts of adjacent districts.

The weather system is expected to cause riverine flooding for the parts of the Hunter, Central Coast, Sydney and extending further south to the Illawarra and South Coast catchments from Wednesday. Flood classes (minor, moderate, major) are only defined for catchments where the Bureau provides a flood warning service.

Catchments likely to be affected include:

Wollombi Brook and Lower Hunter River minor flooding

Newcastle Area

Central Coast minor flooding

Lake Macquarie minor flooding

Upper Coxs River

Macdonald River

Northern Sydney

Southern Sydney

Parramatta River

Cooks River minor flooding

Illawarra Coast

Shoalhaven River minor to moderate flooding

St Georges Basin minor to moderate flooding

Clyde River

Tuross River

Bega River minor flooding

Towamba River

Bemm, Cann and Genoa Rivers

Queanbeyan and Molonglo Rivers minor flooding

Flood warnings are current in the following catchments: Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Clarence, Orara, Bellinger, Macleay, Hastings, Manning, Hawkesbury Nepean, Georges, Wallis Lake, Moruya, Snowy, Paroo, Lachlan, and the Macintyre and Weir Rivers.

For the latest flood and weather warnings see www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/

For the latest rainfall and weather forecasts see www.bom.gov.au/australia/meteye/

For the latest rainfall and river level information see www.bom.gov.au/nsw/flood

Flood Safety Advice:
This Flood Watch means that people living or working along rivers and streams must monitor the latest weather forecasts and warnings and be ready to move to higher ground should flooding develop.

Flood Warnings will be issued if Minor Flood Level is expected to be exceeded at key sites along the main rivers for which the Bureau of Meteorology provides a flood warning service.
Severe Weather Warnings will be issued or updated if very heavy rain is forecast or observed.

For more information on the Flood Watch Service:
http://www.bom.gov.au/water/floods/floodWarningServices.shtml

FloodSafe advice is available at www.ses.nsw.gov.au

For emergency assistance call the SES on telephone number 132 500

For life threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately


Rainfall and River Conditions Map