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Man dies in Central Coast floodwaters, rain in Sydney expected to intensify
By Esther Han and Sarah McPhee
A man has died after his vehicle entered floodwaters on the NSW Central Coast as wet weather continues to pummel the state.
Emergency services were called to Oak Road in Matcham after midnight on Friday following reports a vehicle had gone missing in the water.
Wet weather will persist in Sydney.Credit: Nick Moir
A Toyota LandCruiser was located near Maddens Creek crossing about 1.30am on Friday, and the body of a 54-year-old Matcham man was inside. A crime scene was established and investigators will prepare a report for the coroner.
In Sydney, the mercury is expected to hit a muggy 27 degrees on Friday, with four to 15 millimetres predicted to fall across the city throughout the day. Showers and thunderstorms are predicted on Friday ahead of heavier downpours on the weekend.
Forecasters are expecting up to 30mm of rainfall on Saturday and up to 25mm on Sunday.
The situation will be worse in the Northern Rivers region, where up to 80mm is predicted for Lismore on Friday, before slightly easing on the weekend. Multiple flood warnings are still in place.
Days of torrential downpours have swollen waterways, triggered floods, inundated roads, brought down trees and damaged homes across Sydney. The stormy weather is expected to persist for the next week.
Sydney Airport received about 14 millimetres between 9am on Thursday and midnight on Friday, with 25mm in Mona Vale and 11mm in Box Hill.
NSW Bureau of Meteorology engagement officer Morgan Pumpa said the wild weather was caused by a high-pressure system near New Zealand that was directing winds to the eastern coast of Australia.
“That moist easterly wind is bringing the cloud; it’s also bringing some of that humidity that people might feel on Thursday and it’s also bringing the chance of heavy falls to central parts of the coast, including Sydney,” she said.
Cloudy skies, like those pictured at dawn in Mona Vale on Thursday, are expected to remain for days.Credit: Nick Moir
“It’s really important people keep an eye on the weather warnings to find out about possible heavy falls, as well as keep an eye on the radar during the day, with the chance of showers continuing this week in Sydney and along parts of the coast.”
Up to 25mm of rain is expected to fall next Tuesday.
The weather bureau has issued a marine wind warning for NSW and various flood warnings for rivers across the state, including Tweed River and Clarence River in northern NSW.
“In life-threatening emergencies, call triple-0 immediately,” the bureau said. “If you require rescue, assistance to evacuate or other emergency help, ring NSW SES on 132 500.
“Avoid drowning. Stay out of rising water, seek refuge in the highest available place. Prevent damage to your vehicle. Move it under cover, away from areas likely to flood.”
On Thursday, heavy rain triggered flooding across Sydney, the Illawarra region and the Central Coast.
The rain also flooded Marrickville Golf Course and the site of the future Powerhouse Museum next to the Parramatta River.
In Queensland, a woman was found dead in her submerged vehicle on the Sunshine Coast after becoming trapped in floodwaters. Several people remain missing across Queensland and searches by emergency services are under way in the state’s south-east.
While La Nina peaked in January and begins to weaken, it is expected the weather pattern will continue bringing wet conditions with a return to a possible neutral El Nino–Southern Oscillation status in March.
with Megan Gorrey
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