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| Severe storm warnings for Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia - live updates | Severe storm warnings for Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia - live updates |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 6.46am GMT06:46 | |
| Here’s a bit more on the marble-sized hail and heavy rainfall in Bruce, and further east in the Flinders Ranges, from AAP. | |
| A severe weather warning has been issued for an area from Moomba in the northeast to Naracoorte in the southeast as well as the Adelaide Metropolitan area. | |
| The Bureau of Meteorology says the storms are likely to be slow moving and may lead to flash flooding. | |
| There is also a risk of damaging winds. | |
| Towns outside Adelaide that may be affected include Hawker, Leigh Creek, Jamestown, Clare, Port Pirie, Murray Bridge, Naracoorte and Renmark. | |
| By mid afternoon Bruce, in the Flinders Ranges, had received 17mm of rain, which fell over a period of just 20 minutes. | |
| I imagine this is a very exciting day in Bruce. | |
| 6.40am GMT06:40 | |
| I’ve been on a bit of a hunt for the promised 3cm hail in South Australia. According to Tina Donaldson, a senior forecaster with BoM in Adelaide, it now appears unlikely that the hail will reach Adelaide itself, at least in any substantial way. | |
| Donaldson said “marble-sized hail” had been reported at the town of Bruce, population four, on the Willochra Plain about 40km due east of Port Augusta. It was difficult to get a read on the amount of rainfall though as storms have been patchy and weather stations in that part of South Australia are few and far between. | |
| Keen weather watchers will have to wait until 9am Tuesday, when the legions of farmers who have been submitting the results of their private rain gauges to the bureau for decades report in. | |
| 6.19am GMT06:19 | 6.19am GMT06:19 |
| According to the latest severe weather advice from the BoM, the NSW mid-north coast and south coast/tablelands/Snowy Mountains are in for an average of 30mm overnight, which could lead to localised flash flooding early Tuesday morning. | According to the latest severe weather advice from the BoM, the NSW mid-north coast and south coast/tablelands/Snowy Mountains are in for an average of 30mm overnight, which could lead to localised flash flooding early Tuesday morning. |
| 6.15am GMT06:15 | 6.15am GMT06:15 |
| The Moyura River, south of Batemans Bay, has almost reached its expected flood level. The river was recorded at 4.2m at Wamban at 3pm, and rain is forecast to continue to fall for another three to six hours. The Moruya Valley has had 125mm of rain in the past 24 hours. | The Moyura River, south of Batemans Bay, has almost reached its expected flood level. The river was recorded at 4.2m at Wamban at 3pm, and rain is forecast to continue to fall for another three to six hours. The Moruya Valley has had 125mm of rain in the past 24 hours. |
| Highly unlikely that anyone is still attempting to camp in the area, but just in case: | Highly unlikely that anyone is still attempting to camp in the area, but just in case: |
| Campers on south Coast rivers should move to high ground and know their evac route with heavy rain overnight and more to come. | Campers on south Coast rivers should move to high ground and know their evac route with heavy rain overnight and more to come. |
| And a reminder from our orange-overalled friends in the SES: do not attempt to walk in floodwater. Do not attempt to drive in floodwater. Do not attempt to ride a bike through floodwater. Just stay away from floodwater. | And a reminder from our orange-overalled friends in the SES: do not attempt to walk in floodwater. Do not attempt to drive in floodwater. Do not attempt to ride a bike through floodwater. Just stay away from floodwater. |
| 6.04am GMT06:04 | 6.04am GMT06:04 |
| That earlier flooding on Syd Einfeld Dr in Sydney’s east appears to have eased. | That earlier flooding on Syd Einfeld Dr in Sydney’s east appears to have eased. |
| BONDI JUNCTION: Flooding is no longer affecting #SydEinfeldDr between #BondiRd and #OxfordSt. | BONDI JUNCTION: Flooding is no longer affecting #SydEinfeldDr between #BondiRd and #OxfordSt. |
| 6.02am GMT06:02 | 6.02am GMT06:02 |
| Tough times in Victoria, where parts of the state are under severe storm warnings, while others worry about landslides off the back of recent bushfires. This just in from AAP: | Tough times in Victoria, where parts of the state are under severe storm warnings, while others worry about landslides off the back of recent bushfires. This just in from AAP: |
| Landslides and bushfires could hit Victorian coastal towns that have already lost more than 100 homes in Christmas Day fires. | Landslides and bushfires could hit Victorian coastal towns that have already lost more than 100 homes in Christmas Day fires. |
| Wye River and Separation Creek are reopened for many residents but the towns now face another heatwave that could spark fires up again. | Wye River and Separation Creek are reopened for many residents but the towns now face another heatwave that could spark fires up again. |
| The Great Ocean Road towns have been cleared of airborne asbestos, and electricity and water have largely been restored. | The Great Ocean Road towns have been cleared of airborne asbestos, and electricity and water have largely been restored. |
| But the possibility of landslides remains a real issue, Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley says. | But the possibility of landslides remains a real issue, Emergency Management Commissioner Craig Lapsley says. |
| “A fire moving through can move things, and all of a sudden what is a destructive fire ground can actually be another hazard of stability,” Mr Lapsley told reporters on Monday. | “A fire moving through can move things, and all of a sudden what is a destructive fire ground can actually be another hazard of stability,” Mr Lapsley told reporters on Monday. |
| Some houses, while still standing, are no longer safe to live in due to their positioning on the land, he said. | Some houses, while still standing, are no longer safe to live in due to their positioning on the land, he said. |
| Mr Lapsley said milder weather conditions have allowed crews to assess homes, but the relief looked to be short-lived. | Mr Lapsley said milder weather conditions have allowed crews to assess homes, but the relief looked to be short-lived. |
| “We move back into hot weather next week and we’ll move back into the January fire season again, which is something we need to be focused on,” he said. | “We move back into hot weather next week and we’ll move back into the January fire season again, which is something we need to be focused on,” he said. |
| “The potential that it will move into the high 30s and into the 40s in the next week is one of those scenarios that we will face.” | “The potential that it will move into the high 30s and into the 40s in the next week is one of those scenarios that we will face.” |
| 5.21am GMT05:21 | 5.21am GMT05:21 |
| Here’s the scene over at the SCG, where play has been suspended in the third Test between Australia and the West Indies, but not called off for the day — yet. | Here’s the scene over at the SCG, where play has been suspended in the third Test between Australia and the West Indies, but not called off for the day — yet. |
| Update: And it’s been called off. | Update: And it’s been called off. |
| Updated at 5.46am GMT | Updated at 5.46am GMT |
| 5.14am GMT05:14 | 5.14am GMT05:14 |
| Back in Sydney, the rain is going to affect some commutes home, including to the city’s eastern suburbs, with flooding reported on Syd Einfeld Dr between Bondi Rd and Oxford St. | Back in Sydney, the rain is going to affect some commutes home, including to the city’s eastern suburbs, with flooding reported on Syd Einfeld Dr between Bondi Rd and Oxford St. |
| BONDI JUNCTION: Flooding is affecting #SydEinfeldDr between #BondiRd and #OxfordSt. Exercise caution. | BONDI JUNCTION: Flooding is affecting #SydEinfeldDr between #BondiRd and #OxfordSt. Exercise caution. |
| The good news is that floodwaters on Victoria St, Rozelle, has cleared and all lanes on Marsden Rd, Ermington, have reopened near Cowells Lane after some fallen wires were cleared. | The good news is that floodwaters on Victoria St, Rozelle, has cleared and all lanes on Marsden Rd, Ermington, have reopened near Cowells Lane after some fallen wires were cleared. |
| Updated at 5.19am GMT | Updated at 5.19am GMT |
| 5.02am GMT05:02 | 5.02am GMT05:02 |
| We now know a little bit more about the 63-year-old man who drowned in a flooded creek at Seymour on Monday morning. | We now know a little bit more about the 63-year-old man who drowned in a flooded creek at Seymour on Monday morning. |
| AAP reports that the man was Max Loweke, a well-known local bakery owner that was driving to work when his Best Choice Bakery van got stuck on a flooded bridge over Whiteheads Creek about 2am. It was washed away before he could be rescued and was found by police 5.5 hours later. | AAP reports that the man was Max Loweke, a well-known local bakery owner that was driving to work when his Best Choice Bakery van got stuck on a flooded bridge over Whiteheads Creek about 2am. It was washed away before he could be rescued and was found by police 5.5 hours later. |
| This from the AAP report: | This from the AAP report: |
| A member of a nearby SES crew, who was attending a separate job, witnessed the van going into the water. | A member of a nearby SES crew, who was attending a separate job, witnessed the van going into the water. |
| He tied a rope around his waist and reached the van, but it filled with water and submerged. | He tied a rope around his waist and reached the van, but it filled with water and submerged. |
| Sergeant Geoff Shaw said the water was deep and flowing fast at the time. | Sergeant Geoff Shaw said the water was deep and flowing fast at the time. |
| “It is a tragedy,” he told reporters. | “It is a tragedy,” he told reporters. |
| “We encourage people to be cautious of floods and at no time, whether in a vehicle or on foot, to enter any sort of floodwaters. It is extremely dangerous.” | “We encourage people to be cautious of floods and at no time, whether in a vehicle or on foot, to enter any sort of floodwaters. It is extremely dangerous.” |
| Loweke had owned the bakery for more than 10-years and was an active member of local sporting clubs, who paid him tribute on Monday. | Loweke had owned the bakery for more than 10-years and was an active member of local sporting clubs, who paid him tribute on Monday. |
| The Royals Cricket Club wrote: | The Royals Cricket Club wrote: |
| Every bet placed on a horse now will be done with a tear in our eye and knowing that the great man will be riding it home for us. | Every bet placed on a horse now will be done with a tear in our eye and knowing that the great man will be riding it home for us. |
| The Victorian emergency services minister, Jane Garrett, told reporters: | The Victorian emergency services minister, Jane Garrett, told reporters: |
| We have got some very volatile weather in Victoria at the moment. | We have got some very volatile weather in Victoria at the moment. |
| It’s a tragic loss for that family, it’s also a tragedy for the SES workers who responded and we just don’t want to see that happen in Victoria again. | It’s a tragic loss for that family, it’s also a tragedy for the SES workers who responded and we just don’t want to see that happen in Victoria again. |
| 4.52am GMT04:52 | 4.52am GMT04:52 |
| There’s a flood watch issued for catchments in northern NSW, including the lower hunter, Karuah Valley, Manning Valley, Camden Haven and Paterson Williams. The alert for the lower hunter includes possible flooding in Newcastle CBD. | There’s a flood watch issued for catchments in northern NSW, including the lower hunter, Karuah Valley, Manning Valley, Camden Haven and Paterson Williams. The alert for the lower hunter includes possible flooding in Newcastle CBD. |
| In the BoM lexicon, a flood watch is “early advise about possible future flooding”. A flood warning, like that issued for the Moruya River on the NSW south coast, indicates a catchment already in flood. | In the BoM lexicon, a flood watch is “early advise about possible future flooding”. A flood warning, like that issued for the Moruya River on the NSW south coast, indicates a catchment already in flood. |
| Moruya Valley 110mm of rain since 6pm Sunday. | Moruya Valley 110mm of rain since 6pm Sunday. |
| (Apologies for my earlier, rather over-zealous report that this amounted to a metre of rain. It is, as one of my colleagues pointed out, 11cm) | (Apologies for my earlier, rather over-zealous report that this amounted to a metre of rain. It is, as one of my colleagues pointed out, 11cm) |
| Updated at 5.17am GMT | Updated at 5.17am GMT |
| 4.39am GMT04:39 | 4.39am GMT04:39 |
| While Sydney tries to figure out how to deal with floodwater during (almost) peak hour, let’s look at South Australia. | While Sydney tries to figure out how to deal with floodwater during (almost) peak hour, let’s look at South Australia. |
| The bad weather began with thunderstorms in the Flinders Rangers, northwest of Adelaide, which are expected to move east across the state as the afternoon goes on. The BOM has issued a severe thunderstorm warning with heavy rainfall, damaging wind and large hailstones for Adelaide, Mount Lofty Ranges, the Murraylands, upper south east and parts of the yorks peninsula, lower south east and northeast pastoral districts. | The bad weather began with thunderstorms in the Flinders Rangers, northwest of Adelaide, which are expected to move east across the state as the afternoon goes on. The BOM has issued a severe thunderstorm warning with heavy rainfall, damaging wind and large hailstones for Adelaide, Mount Lofty Ranges, the Murraylands, upper south east and parts of the yorks peninsula, lower south east and northeast pastoral districts. |
| Those hailstones are expected to be between 2cm and 3cm in diameter. Get your golf balls ready. | Those hailstones are expected to be between 2cm and 3cm in diameter. Get your golf balls ready. |
| It’s a pretty raw deal for residents in a lot of those areas, which are still recovering from recent bushfires. Among localities in the storm’s path is the farming area of Pinery, about 50km east of Adelaide, where two people were killed in a bushfire in November. | It’s a pretty raw deal for residents in a lot of those areas, which are still recovering from recent bushfires. Among localities in the storm’s path is the farming area of Pinery, about 50km east of Adelaide, where two people were killed in a bushfire in November. |
| 4.33am GMT04:33 | 4.33am GMT04:33 |
| Heavy rain is already causing problems for Sydney traffic. | Heavy rain is already causing problems for Sydney traffic. |
| MASCOT: Flooding is affecting southbound lanes of #GeneralHolmesDr at the exit to the airport tunnel. Exercise caution. | MASCOT: Flooding is affecting southbound lanes of #GeneralHolmesDr at the exit to the airport tunnel. Exercise caution. |
| ROUSE HILL: Rouse Rd is closed due to flooding. Motorists should use Windsor Rd or Schofields Rd instead. | ROUSE HILL: Rouse Rd is closed due to flooding. Motorists should use Windsor Rd or Schofields Rd instead. |
| 4.28am GMT04:28 | 4.28am GMT04:28 |
| There are three areas under storm warning in NSW - the mid-north coast/Hunter Valley area, south coast/tablelands/Snowy Mountains area and the south-west pocket of the state, near Wentworth. | There are three areas under storm warning in NSW - the mid-north coast/Hunter Valley area, south coast/tablelands/Snowy Mountains area and the south-west pocket of the state, near Wentworth. |
| The north and south coast are seeing heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding, with rainfalls of up to 50mm predicted over 24 hours. The towns of Batemans Bay, Braidwood, Ulladulla, Moruya Heads, Newcastle and Maitland (yes I know the last two are technically cities) expected to be most affected. | The north and south coast are seeing heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding, with rainfalls of up to 50mm predicted over 24 hours. The towns of Batemans Bay, Braidwood, Ulladulla, Moruya Heads, Newcastle and Maitland (yes I know the last two are technically cities) expected to be most affected. |
| And here's the Sydney radar. Much more colourful. https://t.co/oBq8ljUlNs pic.twitter.com/x1sSCUydqe | And here's the Sydney radar. Much more colourful. https://t.co/oBq8ljUlNs pic.twitter.com/x1sSCUydqe |
| There’s also a minor flood warning for the Moruya River, south of Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast. The river was expected to reach at 4.4m at Wamban at 5pm. As of midday it was 2.2m, and rising. | There’s also a minor flood warning for the Moruya River, south of Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast. The river was expected to reach at 4.4m at Wamban at 5pm. As of midday it was 2.2m, and rising. |
| The second severe thunderstorm warning predicts heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding in the southwest of the state, around Wentworth. It seems to be the same storm that’s affecting South Australia. | The second severe thunderstorm warning predicts heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding in the southwest of the state, around Wentworth. It seems to be the same storm that’s affecting South Australia. |
| 4.21am GMT04:21 | 4.21am GMT04:21 |
| The radar images for Mildura is showing patches of very heavy rain over the NSW border. Lighter but pretty consistent rain in northeast Victoria. The standard SES warning applies to both places - stay out of floodwaters. | The radar images for Mildura is showing patches of very heavy rain over the NSW border. Lighter but pretty consistent rain in northeast Victoria. The standard SES warning applies to both places - stay out of floodwaters. |
| A tale of two radars - lots of light rain over northeast Victoria, patches of very heavy rain near Mildura. pic.twitter.com/yZ4fXcXZo8 | A tale of two radars - lots of light rain over northeast Victoria, patches of very heavy rain near Mildura. pic.twitter.com/yZ4fXcXZo8 |
| 4.16am GMT04:16 | 4.16am GMT04:16 |
| Let’s start with Victoria, where a man drowned after being swept away in floodwaters near Seymour early Monday morning. | Let’s start with Victoria, where a man drowned after being swept away in floodwaters near Seymour early Monday morning. |
| There’s still a flood warning current for nearby Hughes Creek. The creek peaked at 2.8m on Sunday night but fell below 2m on Wednesday. The creek is part of the Goulburn River catchment, which recorded rainfalls of up to 78mm in places on Sunday. | There’s still a flood warning current for nearby Hughes Creek. The creek peaked at 2.8m on Sunday night but fell below 2m on Wednesday. The creek is part of the Goulburn River catchment, which recorded rainfalls of up to 78mm in places on Sunday. |
| The thunderstorms are a fair way to the west. The severe thunderstorm warning, issued at 12.55pm, predicted heavy rainfall that may need to flash-flooding in the Ballarat, Bendigo, Maryborough, Castlemaine, Kyneton and Stawell areas. | The thunderstorms are a fair way to the west. The severe thunderstorm warning, issued at 12.55pm, predicted heavy rainfall that may need to flash-flooding in the Ballarat, Bendigo, Maryborough, Castlemaine, Kyneton and Stawell areas. |
| Updated at 5.39am GMT | Updated at 5.39am GMT |
| 4.07am GMT04:07 | 4.07am GMT04:07 |
| The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe storm warnings for parts of NSW, Victoria and South Australia. Expect heavy rain and flooding on the NSW north and south coast, thunderstorms (and more flooding) in central and northwestern Victoria and across the Murray in southwestern NSW, and heavy rain, damaging winds and yet more flash flooding for most everything east of Port Augusta in South Australia, all the way up to Moomba. | The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe storm warnings for parts of NSW, Victoria and South Australia. Expect heavy rain and flooding on the NSW north and south coast, thunderstorms (and more flooding) in central and northwestern Victoria and across the Murray in southwestern NSW, and heavy rain, damaging winds and yet more flash flooding for most everything east of Port Augusta in South Australia, all the way up to Moomba. |
| I’ll break down those warnings in a moment. In the mean time, send me your pictures and local weather reports on Twitter @callapilla | I’ll break down those warnings in a moment. In the mean time, send me your pictures and local weather reports on Twitter @callapilla |