Severe Storms hail, flood warnings issued for Australia
Pastor Dale Morgan
Severe Storms hail, flood warnings issued for Australia *
December 27, 2007 02:40pm
Article from: AAP
THE Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued a severe thunderstorm warning
for parts of NSW, with heavy rain, hail and flash flooding expected to
hit this afternoon.
A BoM spokesman said the warning was issued at midday (AEDT) today for
the Hunter and Central Tablelands, Illawarra and western parts of
metropolitan Sydney.
Richmond and surrounding areas could be affected, and hail had already
begun falling in Lithgow and Katoomba at 1pm (AEDT), the spokesman said.
"We are expecting a few showers and then a chance of afternoon
thunderstorms, mainly in the west (metro) area," the spokesman said.
Sydney city could also expect some showers this afternoon or early evening.
Northwest NSW
Elsewhere in the state, slow-moving floodwaters and stormy weather are
expected to create more havoc for property owners in northwest NSW this
weekend.
After floodwaters stranded dozens of properties in Coonamble on
Christmas Eve, the State Emergency Service (SES) is now warning of
potential floods in Nyngan and other areas along the Bogan River.
With heavy winds and rain forecast in various parts of the northwest, as
well as a swell of water flooding down from Queensland, the Bogan River
is expected to peak on Sunday.
SES spokesman Phil Campbell said there was no direct threat to Nyngan,
which should be well protected by its levee.
"We have the flood peak due to hit Nyngan on Sunday, (but) Nyngan is
well protected," he told AAP.
"Rural property isolation (is) the most likely problem."
Property owners should keep supplies to last them at least one week, Mr
Campbell said.
The SES was also keeping a close eye on the Paroo River and the Warrego
River, which have isolated some properties for as long as a month.
"There's been a bit of extra rain from Queensland, just pushing the
Paroo in particular up again," Mr Campbell said.
Properties remain cut off
In Coonamble, several dozen properties remain cut off for the third day
after the Castlereagh River peaked at 4.75 metres late on Christmas Eve.
SES deputy regional controller in Dubbo, Allen Luzuriaga, said two
helicopters were each doing two to three food drops to local families a
day, and more to stranded cattle.
He said there had been no reports of cattle losses, and the water was
now slowly, but surely, receding.
"On Christmas Day, I noted that the water was 0.2 metres over the
(Coonamble to Quambone) road. Today the road is now passable," Mr
Luzuriaga said.