- What is the severity of this storm?
This east-coast low has been quite a strong one, probably the most significant one we’ve seen since 2007. We’re looking at rainfall between 300-400mm has already fallen across the Hunter Valley, Sydney Metropolitan and Illawarra have also seen falls between 100-150mm. On top of that, some very strong winds, with gusts up to 130km/h and some large waves out to sea, getting up to 11 metres. This is quite a severe system.
- Which areas have been affected the most?
The worst hit areas today have been around the Hunter Valley area, places like Maitland, Tarro, Dungog - that’s where we’ve seen some thunder storms embedded in the rain. We’ve seen hourly rainfall totaled up there at 100mm, which has seen major floods now at the Williams and Paterson Rivers, and some localised flash flooding. It’s obviously a very worrying time up in the Hunter Valley.
- How long will this wild weather go for?
I guess what’s important about this wild weather is, while we can get strong wind gusts and heavy rain at any time, it’s been a very sustained weather event. We’re into our second day now. It’s because the low-pressure system is very slow moving. It’s likely to continue severe weather throughout this afternoon and tonight. By Wednesday morning, around about sunrise, we expect the low to slowly move off the coast. We should start to see gradual ease in rainfall and winds.
- How would you rate this storm?
This storm is certainly the biggest one we’ve seen in Newcastle on the coast there now since 2007. Many people remember the 2007 east coast low in Pasha Bulker was washed up on the beaches there in Nobbys Head. This is probably the biggest storm we’ve seen in 80 years and it’s a very concerning time. People really need to take shelter, take it easy, stay off the roads, minimise transport and just take care because when you combine the wind the seas and the rain it’s a very severe situation.
- With winds reaching130km/h, is it reasonably close to being in a cyclone?
The wind gust we’ve see has been measured in excess of 130km/h throughout the Hunter region. That is similar characteristics to what we would see with a Category 2 tropical cyclone. This system’s a little bit difference from tropical cyclones, this is still a big storm. We still see the same impacts in terms of heavy rain, large seas and strong winds. We don’t quite get those concentrations of strong wings around the eye of a tropical cyclone, and the different way they’re born. Tropical cyclones live in tropical waters, warm water and evaporation. These low pressure systems, generally speaking, move pretty quickly out to sea. They do stay close to the coast for a day or two, and they do get very sustained severe weather like we’re witnessing right now.
- What about the waves? Will they stay along the coast after the storm is gone?
While you see the wind and the rain on Wednesday morning as this low moves away, certainly the swell will be with us for on the coast for a couple more days, as that low continues to be quite a strong system out to the Tasman Sea. We expect some very large seas and continual beach erosion, and it’s certainly not the time to be heading out the sea, and really taking caution with any beachside activities.
- What does the temperature look like within the next few days?
The system’s brought some really cold weather with it. We’ve seen temperatures down to about 15 degrees in some parts yesterday and today. This is actually one of the coldest April days across Sydney and large parts of NSW in about 20 years. So it’s rather cool weather as well as severe weather. It’s certainly a day to be indoors. We’ve even had some light snowfall down towards the snowy mountains.
