Australia: Severe thunderstorms cause chaos in Sydney

The city of Sydney, Australia, has been hit by severe thunderstorms , causing chaos, especially for motorists.

Monday, 10/02/2025 - 14:44

The severe weather in New South Wales and eastern Victoria has caused flash flooding, destructive winds and hail, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning that severe weather is set to continue. The BoM said the city recorded 52.8mm of rain at Observatory Hill. Horsley Park, 50km west of the city, recorded 88mm. The State Emergency Service rescued 21 people from vehicles caught in flash flooding in the Sydney metropolitan area.

Meanwhile, after scorching heat in recent weeks, the monsoon has arrived in northern Australia, bringing cooler air but also more rain for northern Queensland. A tropical low forming off the coast of Western Australia is forecast to become the first cyclone to cross land this season. The cyclone could form in the next two days, bringing relief to parts of the state where temperatures have reached 40C. The heat is moving east and is expected to intensify fires in Victoria and Tasmania, where authorities are battling a series of bushfires .

The Bureau of Meteorology says there is a high chance the tropical low (U18) will develop into a cyclone by Tuesday evening and emergency services are warning the community to prepare. The bureau's forecast maps indicate the system could strengthen to at least a category two and cross the Pilbara coast later in the week.

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