Rain, hail sweeps across Sydney as storm season begins

Hail has battered Bondi and other parts of Sydney as a sunny day quickly turned dark thanks to a wave of storm cells sweeping in from the west.

Flights at Sydney Airport were cancelled and a unit block roof set alight by a lightning strike in a sudden start to Sydney’s storm season on Wednesday.

A warm and sunny start to Wednesday, which hit 27.5C at Observatory Hill and 27.8C in Penrith, turned dark by 3pm, with a storm front sweeping in from the west. 

The Central Western town of Parkes was hit first, with a burst of hail blanketing the roofs and lawns of houses in town, before Bargo and Mittagong in the Southern Highlands also received small hail.

By 3pm, multiple storm cells had formed on Sydney’s western fringes and swept through the broader Sydney metropolitan area, bringing showers of rain, wild winds and hail.

Up to 10 domestic flights were cancelled and several others delayed after an afternoon storm front bringing lightning, hail and rain swept across the metropolitan area, with conditions deemed too dangerous for airport ground crew to operate.

Storm front crossing Bondi Beach Picture: Facebook

Passengers were warned to expect delay and check with their airline for information, with further stoppages expected into the night as storm cells passed through.

The storm cells also saw traffic lights go out in the Hornsby area, set a tree on fire in Marrickville and a lightning strike set a unit block roof alight on Maroubra Rd, Maroubra.

Firefighters evacuated the building and quickly extinguished the flames, with no injuries reported.
The State Emergency Service recorded 24 calls for help throughout the afternoon, with the bulk of calls from residents in Bankstown and Penrith due to leaking roofs and fallen branches.

A wave of rainfall and hail sweeps towards Sydney on Wednesday

A large storm is currently impacting communities across the Blue Mountain and South Coast areas. Lightning strikes can create new fires, so please report any unattended fires to Triple Zero (000).
If you require assistance with storm damage, contact the @NSWSES on 132 500. pic.twitter.com/wXjfxZ6sRK

— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) August 30, 2023

Hail was recorded as far east as Bondi, but Sydney’s western suburbs including Bonnyrigg, Edensor Park, Fairfield and Horseley Park were hit hardest, according to Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines.

“There have been thunderstorms across the entirety or majority of Sydney this afternoon, a small but rather intense cell went through the western suburbs,” Mr Hines said.

Hail blanketed a basketball court at Bondi.

“Places where the rain has been heaviest are in the west … broadly we are expecting rainfall, thunder, lightning and a potential for hail and damaging winds as the cells move towards the coast throughout the afternoon and evening.”

“As these storms cross through the metropolitan area, there is absolutely still the possibility for hail.”

Hail in Parkes, NSW. Picture: Facebook

South Creek in Sydney’s west had the highest recorded rainfall, clocking 31mm, while Fairfield recorded 24mm and Horseley Park 21mm.

“There is a bit of a springtime flavour, with the warm conditions today providing the energy which causes thunderstorms to develop. It is quite early, considering it is August,” Mr Hines said.

“We are seeing broad regions of stormy weather, with lots of thunderstorms forming inland and then pushing on an eastern trajectory towards the ocean.”
While rainfall is expected on Thursday, the majority of storm activity will stay in northeastern NSW and southeast Queensland.