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6.42pm: Passengers travelling in both directions between Kiama and Bomaderry on the South Coast Line are advised to allow additional travel time due to urgent signal equipment repairs at Berry.
The 6:48pm Kiama to Bomaderry train will be replaced by a bus. Passengers should also listen to announcements.
4.07pm:
3.55pm:
3.30pm: Check out the Mercury's snappers photos from today.
3.15pm: Update on roads closed due to flooding:
- The Audley Weir remains closed in both directions at Sir Birtram Stevens Drive in the Royal National Park;
- Illawarra Highway is closed between Tongarra Road and the Princes Highway at Albion Park. Detours via Tongarra Road and the Princes Highway.
- Traffic at Burrawang on the Illawarra Highway at Wilsons Road affected by flooding.
3pm:
2.30pm: A severe weather warning is still current for the Illawarra and South Coast. Damaging winds around 65 km/h with peak gusts of 90 km/h are forecast for the region.
1pm:
12.54am: Flights at Sydney Airport are being delayed by up to an hour after wind gusts of nearly 90km/h hit the city on Monday morning. Sydney Airport advised passengers to prepare for significant delays as southerly wind gusts of 89km/h buffeted Mascot.
12.45am: A fallen tree on Mount Ousley Road near Panorama House is affecting northbound traffic. Motorists should reduce speed and exercise caution.
12.05pm: The SES attended to 147 calls for help across the Illawarra on Monday morning as rain continued to pelt the region.
SES Wollongong incident controller Ashley Sullivan said crews were still responding to assistance with leaking roofs and fallen trees.
11.58am: Endeavour Energy are working to restore power to 1200 customers in the Kangaroo Valley area after strong winds interrupted supply. Repairs may take up to four hours.
11.54am: The Illawarra Highway remains closed between Tongarra Road and the Princes Highway at Albion Park due to flooding. Drivers are advised to use Tongarra Road as an alternative.
11.51am:
11.50am: All Shellharbour council soccer grounds are closed for training until further notice.
11.43am:
11.36am:
11.28am: The Illawarra Highway at Taylor Road in Albion Park is closed in both directions due to flooding.
10.50am: Emergency services are asking people to take care on the road and not drive through floodwater. Be particularly wary around these areas on the South Coast which the SES has listed as hotspots:
- Princes Highway: Heavily affected during heavy rainfall and can result in the complete or partial closure of many traffic lanes in both Northern and Southern directions;
- Station Road: Between Princes Highway and Black Street can be affected by the flooding from Horsley Creek;
- Illawarra Highway: Between Croome Lane and Taylor Street can be affected by flooding by the Macquarie Rivulet and has a history of being closed for a number of days during intense rain periods;
- Tongarra Road: Between Croome Road and Stapleton Avenue can be affected by flooding from Frazers Creek and also flooding from the Macquarie Rivulet;
- Calderwood Road: Known to be affected by flooding the Macquarie Rivulet; and
- Industrial Road: Known to be affected during heavy rainfall.
Other locations, including the suburbs of Albion Park Rail, Shellharbour Centre and Warilla, are known hotspots for being heavily affected and flooded during intense rain periods and should be avoided if possible.
10.25am:
10.15am:
9.50am: A quick update on reported flooding in the area:
- Albion Park: Illawarra Highway at Taylor Road - traffic affected in both directions.
- West Wollongong: One northbound lane closed on the M1 Princes Motorway at University Avenue
- Mount Pleasant: Northbound traffic affected on the M1 Princes Motorway (Mount Ousley Road) at New Mount Pleasant Road.
- Burrawang: Illawarra Highway at Wilsons Road - traffic affected in both directions.
9.45am:
9.40am: The Bureau of Meteorology has listed the 24 hour rainfall totals to 9am Sunday morning:
- Albion Park 64 mm
- Wollongong 62mm
- Bellambi 61mm
- Nowra 46 mm
- Moruya 39 mm
The maximum wind gusts reported until 5am on Monday was at Kiama, 91 km/h.
9.25am: Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said a complex low-pressure system close to the NSW coast delivered heavy rain and strong winds to the south coast and Illawarra overnight, and that weather was tracking north on Monday morning.
9.01am:
8.51am: The Illawarra's SES crews were kept busy on Sunday as wild weather thumped the region.
Volunteers were called out to 102 jobs across the Illawarra and Shoalhaven on Sunday afternoon and late into the night as heavy rain pelted the region for the first time in months.
SES Wollongong incident controller Ashley Sullivan said crews had mostly responded to calls for help with leaking roofs.
Volunteers were also forced to rescue several people trapped in floodwater on Taylor Road in Albion Park on Sunday afternoon.
Mr Sullivan said crews would be keeping an eye on flooding "hot spots" like the Illawarra Highway in Albion Park and were expecting more calls on Monday.
"We've been getting a steady stream of calls since Sunday and we're expecting them right through until around lunchtime today," he said.
Crews captured video footage of flood waters on Macquarie Pass on Sunday night that forced the closure of the Illawarra Highway.
8.50am:
8.45am:
8.40am: Shellharbour City SES Unit took this video of flooding on Macquarie Pass on Sunday night.
8.22am: Traffic is affected in both directions on the Illawarra Highway at Taylor Road in Albion Park due to flooding.
8.10am: Northbound traffic on the M1 Princes Motorway (Mount Ousley Road) at New Mount Pleasant Road in Mount Pleasant is affected by flooding. Roads and Maritime Services are asking drivers to reduce speed and exercise caution.
8.05am:
Earlier: It has been a wet weekend across the Illawarra, with the region hit by rainfall we have managed to largely avoid so far this winter.
In the 24 hours to 9am Sunday, the Illawarra was bucketed with some of the heaviest rainfall in the state. Scarborough copped 66mm of rain, while Bellambi got 60mm and Albion Park 62mm.
The downpour eased on Sunday, with 26mm recorded at Albion Park and 16mm at Bellambi between 9am and 4.30pm.
The temperature reached just 15 degrees on Sunday, and it is unlikely to get much warmer in coming days. The wet weather may linger until at least Saturday, with showers predicted all week.
Heavy rain and wind is predicted for Monday. The Bureau of Meteorology released a gale wind warning for the Illawarra on Monday, with winds up to 65km/h and gusts approaching 100km/h in the afternoon.
Heavy rain, thunderstorms and dangerous surf up to five metres in height were expected overnight.
Monday’s forecasted high is just 15 degrees, with up to 30mm of rain.
Winds will ease later in the week, but it will still be chilly and wet until at least next Sunday.