Major flood warnings have been issued a 500kmh wall of heavy rain and damaging winds set to smash Australia’s east coast.  

Families are being asked to re-assess their holiday plans ahead of the wet and windy conditions just as school holidays begin for Victoria, Queensland and NSW.

Flooding is possible for the Hunter, Central Coast, the Greater Sydney region and the South Coast from Saturday, with flood watches in place for catchments between Newcastle and Batemans Bay, including Sydney and the Illawarra. 

Warnings of flash flooding are specifically in place for the Sydney, Illawarra and Shoalhaven areas and the Cooks and Georges Rivers. 

A major flood warning has been issued with heavy rain and damaging winds smashing Australia’s east coast (pictured, rain forecast for NSW over the coming days)

NSW’s coast is expected to see heavy rain from Thursday afternoon with the centre of the storm focusing over Sydney and Newcastle

Showers already falling across the east coast are forecast to increase on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, developing into widespread areas of persistent rain. 

NSW residents have been warned to brace for yet more heavy rainfall, river rises, flooding and possible landslips as a stubborn low forms over the coast.

‘We know these are quite dangerous systems,’ Bureau of Meteorology Manager of Hazard Preparedness and Response Jane Golding told media on Friday.

‘They’ve been known to produce some widespread flooding in the past, and that’s certainly on the cards for the next few days.’

On Friday the areas of impact are expected to include Greater Sydney and the Illawarra region, with hundreds of millimetres of rain forecast to fall.

‘We’re expecting some locations over the next few days, and even tomorrow, could see what they would normally see in the entire month of July all in one day,’ Ms Golding said.

She said the deluge could lead to flash flooding and landslips.

‘We know that the landscape is quite vulnerable at the moment and the water can move very quickly down the slopes and through the waterways,’ she said.

From Saturday, risk areas include Newcastle, the Central Coast, Lake Macquarie, the Upper Coxs, Colo and Macdonald rivers.

Also at risk are the the Upper and Lower Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers.

Flooding is possible for the Hunter, Central Coast, the Greater Sydney region and the South Coast from Saturday, with flood watches in place for catchments between Newcastle and Batemans Bay, including Sydney and the Illawarra

‘What our hydrologists are seeing is the rain is potentially enough to cause major flooding there again, which will be the third or fourth time in the last two years for those communities,’ Ms Golding said.

The SES warned residents not to expect the same consequences from heavy falls as previously, with saturated catchments likely to produce different results.

‘The accumulation of heavy rainfalls over the number of days will have a different effect on the flow of rivers,’ NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York said.

‘A different effect on flash flooding which, by its name, can come very quickly and be very unexpected.

‘The main message from the SES is for people to think about their own safety and the safety of their family and friends.’

Multiple computer weather forecast models show Australia’s east coast will be drenched over the next week (pictured)

Flood warnings issued for weekend 

Flood warnings have been issued for parts of NSW on Saturday.

Below is a list of flood warnings, their severity and location: 

Minor to major 

Wollombi Brook

Lower Hunter River

Upper Nepean River

Lower Nepean River

Hawkesbury River

Colo River

Minor to moderate

Central Coast 

Minor

Manning River

Gloucester River

Wallis Lake

Myall River

Karuah River

Goulburn River

Upper Hunter River

Newcastle Area

Paterson River

Williams River 

Lake Macquarie

Upper Coxs River

MacDonald River

Northern Sydney

Southern Sydney

Parramatta River

Cooks River

Georges River

Woronora River

Illawarra Coast

Shoalhaven River

St Georges Basin

Clyde River 

The rain will stretch from Melbourne in the south of the country to as far north as Cape York and spreading west to Darwin – with the heaviest falls around Sydney and the tropical north Queensland coast. 

The deluge will ease in Victoria on Sunday but continue in eastern Queensland and NSW with a second day of 100mm falls in some areas likely to cause flash flooding.

Monday will be similar conditions, with some models forecasting the downpour will continue into Tuesday and Wednesday.

Over the coming days the accumulated rainfall forecast looks bleak with the east coast getting a drenching from Cooktown in the north to Bateman’s Bay south of Sydney.

Accumulated totals between 100mm and 200mm are likely for some areas and isolated falls of more than 300mm are possible.

The weekend will be wet for those on the east coast with rain stretching from Cape York to Victoria

Residents in central Victoria, ACT and NSW will brave the cold this week with polar surges bringing ‘feels-like’ temperatures plummeting to -3C courtesy of wind chill 

Over on the west coast the weather is looking drier with light rainfall in Perth over the next week and no rain in the northern half of WA. 

Temperature-wise the polar blast sweeping up from the Southern Ocean will continue to bring icy conditions for much of the country.

Sydney will see maximums of 17C to 19C for the weekend and dip to 11C overnight.

Melbourne will be considerably colder with minimums of 7C and hitting a high of 13C to 14C.

Perth will also see chilly nights of 7C but will warm up during the day to reach 20C.

Brisbane will be avoid much of the frosty temperatures sitting between 14C and 21C, but will be in for a rainy weekend.

Canberra in stark contrast will reach highs of just 12C and drop to just 1C overnight on Friday. 

The nearby ski fields, already experiencing one of the best snow seasons in years, should also get some good powder with the rain forming snow in the alps region. 

Both Perisher Ski Resort and Thredbo are forecast to receive 4cm of new powder on Friday  

The alps will get some good snowfall including Mount Buller (above) which is in its peak ski season

FIVE-DAY WEATHER FORECAST 

PERTH

Friday: Min 7 Max 19 (sunny)

Saturday: Min 7 Max 20 (sunny)

Sunday: Min 7 Max 20 (sunny)

Monday: Min 7 Max 20 (sunny)

Tuesday: Min 9 Max 20 (showers)

ADELAIDE

Friday: Min 8 Max 14 (cloudy)

Saturday: Min 7 Max 14 (cloudy)

Sunday: Min 7 Max 14 (partly cloudy)

Monday: Min 6 Max 15 (mostly sunny)

Tuesday: Min 7 Max 16 (mostly sunny)

MELBOURNE

Friday: Min 7 Max 13 (shower or two)

Saturday: Min 7 Max 13 (possible shower)

Sunday: Min 7 Max 14 (partly cloudy)

Monday: Min 5 Max 14 (partly cloudy)

Tuesday: Min 7 Max 16 (partly cloudy)

HOBART

Friday: Min 5 Max 13 (cloudy)

Saturday: Min 5 Max 12 (partly cloudy)

Sunday: Min 5 Max 14 (partly cloudy)

Monday: Min 5 Max 14 (partly cloudy)

Tuesday: Min 5 Max 14 (partly cloudy) 

CANBERRA

Friday: Min 1 Max 12 (cloudy)

Saturday: Min 3 Max 12 (showers)

Sunday: Min 5 Max 12 (shower or two)

Monday: Min 6 Max 13 (shower or two)

Tuesday: Min 6 Max 15 (shower or two)

SYDNEY

Friday: Min 11 Max 17 (showers)

Saturday: Min 11 Max 17 (rain)

Sunday: Min 12 Max 19 (rain)

Monday: Min 13 Max 19 (rain)

Tuesday: Min 14 Max 20 (rain)

BRISBANE

Friday: Min 14 Max 18 (rain at times)

Saturday: Min 14 Max 17 (rain)

Sunday: Min 13 Max 21 (shower or two)

Monday: Min 14 Max 21 (rain at times)

Tuesday: Min 15 Max 20 (rain)

DARWIN

Friday: Min 19 Max 26 (cloudy)

Saturday: Min 18 Max 29 (partly cloudy)

Sunday: Min 19 Max 30 (mostly sunny)

Monday: Min 8 Max 29 (mostly sunny)

Tuesday: Min 15 Max 28 (sunny)

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