THURSDAY:
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By Peter Hannam
Sydney, Newcastle and the Illawarra will finally enjoy some benign weather for a few days at least, allowing residents and authorities to begin the massive clean-up.
Days of damaging winds and at times tropical-strength rainfall will make way to mostly dry and even sunny conditions from Thursday.
Sydney recorded almost 260mm in the 52 hours from Monday morning - the most in 17 years - , a record high wave off the NSW coast, and about 36 hours of sustained strong winds at the airport - all from a powerful east coast low that held together much longer than usual.
Most east coast lows last one to two days, this one made it to two to three," Ben McBurney, a meteorologist with Weatherzone, said "This was a once-in-a generation system."
Lingering showers will still drop about 5mm of rain on the city on Thursday but they should clear by the afternoon, he said. "It will definitely be a good day to start the clean-up."
Friday will be even better, with temperatures climbing back towards 25 degrees on a partly cloudy day. Similar conditions will extend into Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
"It will be a hell of a lot better than the last few days, that's for sure," Sean Carsons, a senior meteorologist at the bureau, said. Rainfall in coming days will mostly be confined to state's far-south coast, he said.
UPDATE WEDNESDAY:
3.30pm:
Shuttle buses are replacing trains between Cronulla and Sutherland and Sutherland to Waterfall.
It comes as a fallen tree on lines at Wolli Creek are continuing to cause delays.
Sydney Trains has advised that anyone travelling to Kirrawee, Gymea, Miranda, Caringbah, Woolooware and Cronulla need to change trains at Sutherland for a shuttle train to their station.
Anyone travelling to Loftus, Engadine, Heathcote and Waterfall needs to change trains at Sutherland for a shuttle train to their station.
There was flooding at Bardwell Park earlier today that closed part of the T2 Airport Line between Turrella and Revesby. (See video above)
A limited bus service is operating between those stations.
Commuters are urged to delay non-essential travel.
2pm:
Sydney Water is working to get water restored to homes in Sutherland Shire.
It expects water to be restored in Gymea by 2pm and by 4pm at Engadine and Caringbah.
Bexley Road at Wolli Creek is now open in both directions. Drivers should continue to exercise caution.
There are road closures between Holsworthy and Lucas Heights due to flooding from rising water levels from Harris Creek at Wattle Grove.
Traffic diversions are at Heathcote Road, at the intersection of Infantry Road, Holsworthy, and Heathcote Road, at the intersection of New Illawarra Road, Lucas Heights.
Residents of Voyager Point, Pleasure Point and Sandy Point are still able to access their homes from the Sutherland end via the New Illawarra Road diversion.
People are advised to avoid any unnecessary travel until weather conditions improve and to not drive, ride or walk through floodwaters.
Sydney Water is working to get water restored to homes in Gymea, Engadine and Caringbah.
It expects water to be restored in Gymea by 2pm and by 4pm at Engadine and Caringbah.
12.45pm:
The Insurance Council of Australia has declared a catastrophe for storm-affected parts of NSW, in particular the Central Coast, Hunter, Greater Sydney Metropolitan and Illawarra regions.
Midday:
Schools in Sutherland Shire have been affected by the heavy rain. Some classrooms have flooded at Loftus Public School because of the downpour this morning.
The school asks parents to collect their children from school if they can.
Pupils whose parents cannot pick them up can rest assured that their children are being supervised.
Sydney Montessori School, Gymea is also affected.
A staff member said the whole school was flooded, and children were being sent home.
‘‘Inside and outside, between buildings, some classrooms, our long day care rooms are flooded,’’ she said.
‘‘It’s much safer without children here.
‘‘Parents are in the process of picking up their children.
‘‘There will be lots of mopping up to do.’’
11:11am: Hurstville SES have been called to rescue a person trapped in flood water at Penthurst.
The driver was trapped after driving into water in Cambridge Street.
11:01am: The State Emergency Service is again reminding people to avoid flood waters after a car became stuck at Bexley Road this morning.
The driver had to be rescued from their car after driving into water.
The road was closed earlier today after flash flooding.
10.50am:
Latest weather alert: The most severe conditions have peaked and will continue to ease during Wednesday as the low weakens.
Brief periods of damaging winds with peak gusts of 100 km/h are possible at times along the coastal fringe.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms, which may lead to flash flooding are forecast for parts of the Metropolitan and Illawarra forecast districts although conditions will gradually improve into this afternoon.
Very heavy surf which may lead to localised damage and coastal erosion is forecast for the Metropolitan and Illawarra forecast districts. Beach conditions in these areas could be dangerous and people should stay well away from the surf and surf exposed areas.
The Severe Weather Warning for the Hunter forecast district has been cancelled. Occasional heavy showers may still occur today and the situation will continue to be monitored.
8:15am: Motorists are advised to take care with a number of southern Sydney roads under water.
There are delays along Rocky Point Road at Sans Souci with water across the road.
Bexley Road at Wolli Creek has closed because of flooding.
Drivers are also being urged to avoid Alfords Point Bridge with flash flooding affecting two northbound lanes.
Trains on the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line have also been delayed after a tree fell on lines near Wolli Creek.
Trains are running up to 10 minutes late.
Domestic flights at Sydney Airport have been delayed by up to an hour while some international flights have been diverted.
It comes as 15,000 homes remain without power across Sydney.
That includes 2600 homes in Bexley and 2200 homes at Gymea and Grays Point.
A severe weather warning remains in place on Wednesday for damaging and destructive winds, heavy rainfall and damaging surf in the Metropolitan, Mid North Coast, Hunter and Illawarra districts.
The SES has been called to 329 jobs in the Sutherland Shire area, which is listed as one of the six worst affected areas. See list below.
Motorists are urged to stay out of floodwater as there could be significant surface damage to roads that is not visible from the surface. Floodwater is also deeper and faster flowing than it appears.
Premier Mike Baird: "To ease strain on transport/road networks please again try to travel to work outside standard peak times – I urge employers to be flexible."
NSW Police remind residents that the Public Information and Inquiry Centre is open.
Call 1800 227 228 for information on the flood and storm operation. Or see extra information on the flood and severe weather warnings at: http://www.emergency.nsw.gov.au/content.php/1399.html
For trees down or other storm damage call the SES on 132 500.
They advise the worst affected localities are:
Wyong 819
Lake Macquarie City 777
City of Newcastle 722
Gosford 644
Warringah - Pittwater 526
Maitland City 448
Sutherland 329
The majority of requests for help relate to fallen trees and roof damage from wind and heavy rainfall.
UPDATE: 4.45pm:
Commuters can expect delays on the way home tonight with some trains delayed on the Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra Line.
It comes as 200,000 homes across the state remain without power.
Ausgrid said it expected to take several days for power to be restored to all homes.
The NSW SES are also preparing for a second night on duty.
They have responded to more than 5400 calls for help since Monday at 7am.
UPDATE: 2.18pm:
NSW Premier Mike Baird is asking people to be patient as emergency crews deal with life-threatening situations.
He has also urged people to start to head home from work, with weather conditions expected to worsen.
"We are calling for bosses to be flexible, people to make arrangements in an orderly way to start to head home ASAP," Mr Baird said.
UPDATE: 1.13pm:
Sutherland Shire SES has rescued a mother and two children from a Heathcote granny flat this morning.
SES crews and firefighters from Heathcote Rural Fire Service were called at 7.30am to the Parklands Avenue home after reports a large tree had fallen.
Once they arrived they found branches had blocked the exit for the family.
They worked to clean the branches before helping them from the flat.
Ausgrid crews are working to repair fallen power lines at Tempe. The disruption is causing traffic chaos with the Princes Highway closed in both directions.
SES Southern Region have now received 600 calls for help as rain continues to lash the region.
Around 300 of those have been completed.
A gum tree has taken down power lines after it fell at 10am in Tournay Street at Peakhurst.
Resident Linda Gades returned home from the gym to find the tree had fallen in her front yard.
''An old gum tree in my front yard had fallen and taken out a power pole and brought down wires all along the street,'' she said.
''A water mains was cracked as well. I can't access my house.''
Workers are at the scene trying to restore power.
It comers as NSW Police confirm that a woman and two men have died at Dungog and some houses have washed away.
UPDATE 9.15:
Ausgrid is working to restore power to homes in Loftus, Kirrawee and Caringbah after it was cut during storms on Monday night.
It is expected to be restored by midday today.
Crews are working on a backlog of jobs with around 20,000 homes without power in Sydney alone.
Rain continues to bucket down over the region with flooding closing Audley Weir.
Motorists are also advised to avoid Bexley Road where storm water is close to crossing the road.
Traffic is heavy around Sydney Airport with some flights delayed by up to 45 minutes.
The Transport Management Centre is advising people to avoid non-essential travel.
Local SES crews have been inundated with calls and worked throughout the night responding to calls for trees down and roof damage.
At midnight the SES Southern Region had responded to 367 requests for help with 172 completed.
Locally the worst hit areas include Sutherland, Hurstville and Rockdale.
Across the state the SES was called to more than 2900 jobs since Monday at 10am, including 19 flood rescues.
West Como resident Ted Smith said a tree in his front yard come down Tuesday morning, narrowly missing his car.
‘‘It fell across two driveways so it was very very lucky that no-one was walking underneath it,’’ he said.
‘‘It happened just before 8.30am so a lot of schoolkids were around.
‘‘I haven’t been able to get through to the SES so it looks like my car’s stuck but at least I’ve got a roof over my head.’’
EARLIER STORY: Sydney's commuters and students returning from holidays on Tuesday can expect another wintry battering with a second day of heavy rains and strong winds predicted for the city.
A deep low pressure system off the NSW coast dumped almost 100mm of rain over the city on Monday. Rainfall totals from 9am, the Bureau of Meteorology's standard measure, were also close to 100mm as of 3am. Gosford to the north had similar falls.
Powerful winds, which had added to commuters' misery during the evening, continued to buffet homes through the night. Gusts reached 93 km/h at the airport and 124 km/h at Wattamolla.
Remarkably, 3978 fans - some wearing wetsuits - braved the elements to watch Cronulla upset reigning premiers South Sydney at Monday night's NRL game at Remondis Stadium. http://www.theleader.com.au/story/3024067/gallery-sharks-blitzed-bunnies-18-10-on-a-dark-and-stormy-night/?cs=1255
Overnight, the bureau issued several alerts, including an updated severe weather warning for the Metropolitan, Hunter, Mid-North Coast and Illawarra districts.
Heavy rainfall across all areas east of the ranges from about Jervis Bay to Taree will be widespread overnight and Tuesday and as rainfall totals build up local flooding is possible," the bureau said. "The heaviest rain for the event is likely to be over the Hunter district and the southern Mid North Coast."
Potential areas of floods include the Paterson and Williams rivers with minor to moderate flooding, and the Colo River, where minor flooding is expected. The heavy rain combined with a high tide also triggered minor flooding at Tempe on the Cooks River, the bureau said.
Outlook
"This kind of system brings the rainfall in bursts," Peter Zmijewski, a senior forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology, said. "We still expect wet and possibly heavier conditions [on Tuesday]," he said.
Tuesday's wildest weather may be confined more to the coast, with the strongest winds and biggest rainfall shifting up the coast to Newcastle and beyond.
"We should start to see an easing trend [Tuesday] night or early Wednesday," Mr Zmijewski said.
Monday's storm produced gale-force south-easterly winds, bringing very heavy surf that was expected to lead to localised damage and coastal erosion for the metropolitan, Hunter and Illawarra district, with the Mid North Coast likely to experience similarly rough conditions on Tuesday, the bureau said.
"This is going to be our most significant east coast low since spring," Rob Sharpe, a meteorologist with Weatherzone, said.
Rainfall totals may exceed 300 millimetres over the first two days of the week, with the Hunter Valley likely to receive among the heaviest falls.
Sydney's temperatures will track between a narrow range of 15-17 degrees on Tuesday after the city posted its coldest morning of the year on Monday, at 13.6 degrees.
Showers are likely to persist until the weekend although temperatures will start to pick up, with the bureau forecasting a maximum of 25 degrees on Friday.
How have you been affected by the flooding and wind? Click on the comment link to tell us or send photos to christiner@fairfaxmedia.com.au or Twitter @theleadernews