The State Emergency Service has responded to more than 170 requests for help on the South Coast as wild weather lashes the area.
The SES has received 221 requests for help in the past 24 hours, including 172 from the South Coast.
The reports of damage include fallen trees on roads, houses and power lines, broken windows and roof damage.
Around 85 volunteers from 21 crews have been brought in from surrounding regions to assist local crews.
Emergency services in the Illawarra are also preparing for the wild weather, which is forecast to move north and hit the region later this afternoon or this evening.
A deep low pressure system off the NSW South Coast is expected to bring heavy rain and strong winds gusting up to 125km/h.
The swell is also expected to increase throughout the afternoon, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of dangerous surf conditions and waves of more than 5m along the South Coast and the highest tide of the year.
The wild weather hit Narooma around 6am this morning with the strongest wind gust of 135 km/hr recorded on nearby Montague Island.
A second storm system crossed later in the morning between Jervis Bay and Batemans Bay and has moved west, while more heavy rain is sitting off the coast.
Around 13mm of rain has fallen at Moruya Airport since 9am this morning, while Bega has had 14mm.
Fallen trees have closed the Princes Hwy at numerous locations on the Far South Coast. The highway is closed in both directions at Bodalla, Tilba Tilba, Dignams Creek, and in several locations around Narooma.
The State Emergency Service has issued a flood warning for the Bega River, Moruya River, Tuross River and Shoalhaven River.
The SES is also preparing for localised flash flooding around Wollongong and other areas below the Illawarra escarpment.
The SES has warned Bulli residents to be prepared for more possible evacuations if the predicted wild weather hits the Illawarra.
Around 120 Bulli homes were evacuated on Wednesday amid fears that the Bulli Upper Railway Basin Dam could fail, causing major flash flooding downstream.
The SES distributed a letter to residents on Friday advising that if the forecast bad weather eventuates today, an evacuation order will be issued to the same residents who were asked to leave their homes on Wednesday.
‘‘Residents should monitor the situation closely and be prepared to evacuate immediately if instructed to do so,’’ Illawarra South Coast SES region controller Peter Higgins said.
Illawarra and South Coast residents are being advised to keep clear of fallen power lines, stay indoors away from windows and keep children indoors.
Residents should also stay well clear of creeks, storm drains and causeways and should check their property regularly for erosion or inundation by sea water, and if necessary, raise goods and electrical items.
For information on road closures, click here to visit the RTA website.
For updated flood warnings or Bulli evacuations, click here to check the SES website.
For weather reports, click here to see the Bureau of Meteorology website.
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