Wollongong was hit by a massive storm on Wednesday afternoon but if you decided to take a cat nap at 4.30pm you might have missed it because it was over in a flash (pun intended).
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A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall, large hail and damaging winds was forecast for the area and for the once the forecast was correct.
5.15pm: Services are resuming on the South Coast Line between Wollongong and Port Kembla after urgent track equipment repairs at Port Kembla North earlier.
5.05pm: NSW TrainLink reports a number of trains have been delayed due to heavy rainfall, including:
- 15:24 Central to Kiama service is delayed up to 15 mins due to heavy rainfall at Thirroul.
- 15:55 Kiama to Bondi Junction service is delayed up to 10 mins due to heavy rainfall at Thirroul
Meanwhile, buses are replacing trains between Wollongong and Port Kembla due to urgent track equipment repairs at Port Kembla North.
On the roads, a fallen tree is affecting traffic on Picton Road near M1 Princes Motorway at Cataract.
4.55pm: Wait for it...
4.52pm: This is what you made of the storm
4.48pm: We hope you had your rain coats.
14mm of rain dropped in just 16 minutes in Albion Park. Kiama had 13mm in 12 minutes.
We’ll let you know if there is any flood damage.
4.30pm: This was the scene at North Wollongong beach.
4.25pm: Advice from the NSW SES.
4.15pm: The Bureau of Meteorology warns that, at 4.10pm, severe thunderstorms were detected on the weather radar near Berry, Bargo, Picton, Lake Avon, Lake Nepean and the area just east of Bowral. These thunderstorms are moving towards the east.
They are forecast to affect Wollongong, Kiama, Camden, Campbelltown, Dapto and Pt Kembla by 4.40pm and Sutherland, Sydney Airport, Sydney Olympic Park, Engadine, Liverpool and Helensburgh by 5:10 pm.
Heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding, damaging winds and large hailstones are likely.
3.25pm: Wollongong has now been included into the Bureau of Meteorology’s severe thunderstorm warning.
Storms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding, large hailstones and damaging winds over the next several hours, the bureau says.
2.30pm: It was a warm 27 degrees on the Wollongong coast at 2.30pm, but the sunshine will soon disappear as severe storms strike the city.
The storms – which have been marching east across much of southern NSW – are due to arrive in the Illawarra on Wednesday afternoon, bringing with them heavy rain, damaging winds and large hail.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe thunderstorm warning for inland parts of the region at 2.15pm.
Adding to the likelihood of storm activity is the expected arrival late on Wednesday afternoon of a southerly change that will provide additional lift for the moist air mass over the region.
Wednesday’s thunderstorms, should they develop as expected, could last well into the evening and potentially extend into the early hours of Thursday, said Rebecca Kamitakahara, a bureau forecaster.
It comes after our first dry day in a very long time on Monday and a horrendous day of flash flooding last Friday.
- with Peter Hannam
Andrew Pearson
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
Andrew grew up in the western Riverina town of Hay and has strong ties to the region. He is a former DA journo who has a passion for breaking news and has covered everything from council and politics to crime and court.
