Low-pressure system brings heavy rain and gale warnings to Australia’s east coast

Millions of Australians woke to heavy rain, strong winds and grey skies on Wednesday as a low‑pressure system that formed over South Australia moved east and blanketed New South Wales, prompting severe weather and gale warnings along much of the coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the ‘‘complex low’’ remained the main driver of the adverse conditions and was expected to strengthen as it approached the coast, bringing the possibility of flash flooding, damaging winds and hazardous surf before it moved offshore by Thursday morning.

The heaviest falls overnight were recorded in the Central Tablelands, with Mudgee receiving about 60 millimetres and Orange about 53 millimetres. Severe weather warnings were in place for the Illawarra, South Coast and Southern Tablelands, while a gale warning covered the Illawarra and Batemans Coast. Lesser wind warnings were active for other stretches of coastline, and several coastal zones including the Byron, Coffs, Macquarie, Hunter, Sydney and Eden coasts were listed on alert for strong winds that forecasters said could develop into gales.

Bureau of Meteorology Senior Meteorologist Angus Hines said the low‑pressure area was ‘‘the main engine’’ for the wet and windy conditions and that the system was expected to ‘‘ramp up’’ as it crossed the coast. ‘‘The system will be at its strongest when it crosses the coast overnight and tomorrow morning,’’ he said. Mr. Hines added that lows moving away from the coast can tighten and intensify when nothing is in their path to impede them.

Thunderstorms accompanied the rain in some areas, producing wind gusts of almost 90 kilometres per hour and hazardous surf, with erratic wave sets and choppy conditions prompting warnings for maritime users. Forecasters also noted a large number of lightning strikes in the inland north, reporting more than 467,000 strikes near Birdsville as outback storms moved through earlier in the week.

Sydney was forecast to face thunderstorms, damaging winds and hail, with expected rainfall totals between 30 and 60 millimetres on Wednesday. The system was also expected to spread showers and isolated storms into parts of Queensland and Victoria through the week, with southeast Queensland due to be affected from Wednesday afternoon. Rain was forecast to reach northern Victoria along the Murray and parts of the state’s northeastern ranges.

The weather service’s longer‑term outlook pointed to a changeable start to spring and the possibility of a wetter‑than‑average season for eastern Australia. While September rainfall was expected to be close to average for New South Wales and Queensland, forecasters said spring totals around Sydney, which typically range between 200 and 300 millimetres, could reach between 300 and 500 millimetres this season. Nationally, most regions apart from Western Australia were forecast to be wetter than average over spring.

Emergency services and local authorities urged residents in affected areas to exercise caution, avoid driving through floodwater, and be aware of the potential for fallen trees and debris in high winds. The hazardous surf warning advised against recreational boating and warned of dangerous conditions along exposed beaches.

Across the remainder of the country the Bureau’s short‑term forecasts varied by city: showers were expected to develop in Victoria and parts of Tasmania, while much of inland Australia remained drier. Perth and Adelaide were forecast to see sunnier periods in coming days, and Canberra and Hobart were expected to experience easing showers and cooler temperatures before a return to milder conditions over the weekend.

Forecasters said residents and coastal users should monitor updates from the Bureau of Meteorology and heed local severe‑weather warnings as the system moves offshore and the east coast transitions through its peak of wind and rain late Wednesday into Thursday morning.