Thunderstorm warning for Sydney as freak summer continues
UPDATE: A thunderstorm has ripped across Sydney, while up to 15 homes have been destroyed by bushfires near Queanbeyan.
NSW
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A SEVERE thunderstorm smashed Sydney this afternoon, forcing a shutdown of the Airport and wreaking havoc on the city’s roads and public transport.
After dumping large hailstones in the west, the storms moved speedily across the CBD on its way to the coast.
A massive number of lightning strikes was recorded across the Harbour City, and there are reports of power outages in and around Saratoga on the Central Coast and in parts of Western Sydney.
Trains from a number of lines are delayed due to signal failures and a man was treated after suffering an electric shock at Rouse Hill.
😳 #sydneystorm pic.twitter.com/72qbxwCnLK
— Fatima Kdouh (@FatimaKdouh_) 17 February 2017
Wind gusts of 93km/h were recorded at Horsley Park shortly after 3.20pm.
Sydney Trains is conducting ‘urgent signal equipment repairs’ at Milsons Point and Killara, causing delays for commuters.
“Customers travelling on the T1 rail line heading towards North Sydney are advised to expect delays of up to 20 minutes due to earlier signal failures caused by lightning strikes at Killara Station and the Harbour Bridge,” a Sydney Trains spokesman said..
“Customers travelling on the Central Coast and Newcastle Line are also advised to allow additional travel time due to lightning strikes damaging signal equipment at Cowan and Woy Woy.”
The man who suffered an electric shock was working on a construction site at Tallawong Rd, Rouse Hills about 4pm.
The 36-year-ol touched a piece of equipment which was struck by lightning, give him an electric jolt, an Ambulance Service of NSW spokeswoman said.
He was taken to Blacktown Hospital in a stable condition.
A house on Balmain St, Lilyfield lost its roof in the storm but no one was injured and a massive tree fell on Lilyfield, landing on parked cars.
In Penrith, the temperature plunged from 36.5C at 1pm to 27C just half an hour later.
By 6pm, power was cut to 5500 homes and businesses in different parts of Sydney.
Endeavour Energy said: “Due to the widespread damage in specific areas, storm centres have been opened at Narellan, Picton and Windsor to co-ordinate emergency crews on the ground making repairs.”
The areas affected include Fairfield, Canley Vale, Thirroul and Kenthurst.
On the Central Coast, Saratoga is without power, as are Mangrove Creek, Somersby, Wyoming, Springfield and Green Point.
Up to 15 NSW properties have been lost to bushfire, with hot and windy conditions returning to the state’s south.
A blaze east of Queanbeyan remained among their biggest concerns, the Rural Fire Service said on Friday evening, with residents advised to seek shelter because it was too late to leave.
At least 15 properties are believed to have been lost with others under threat. The RFS warns roads north of Primrose Valley and Captains Flat have been cut.
A firefighter aged in his 40s has suffered pelvic injuries and burns in Carwoola, a NSW Ambulance spokeswoman confirmed.
“He went to Canberra Hospital in a stable condition,” she told AAP.
Fire crews on the ground and aircraft were fighting the flames.
The RFS also warned motorists travelling from Canberra to be aware of emergency vehicles on the Kings Highway.
An emergency warning for people in the Mandurama region, in the state’s central west, was downgraded as crews gained the upper hand.
“With conditions easing, firefighters are now slowing the spread of the fire,” the RFS said.
Total fire bans are in place for five NSW regions in the central west and southern parts of the state.
There are currently 87 fires burning with 66 uncontained.
Authorities are pleased, however, that they’ve made some progress on two devastating fires: the Sir Ivan blaze near Dunedoo and the Kains Flat blaze northeast of Mudgee.
The RFS is still counting the cost of last weekend’s “catastrophic” fire conditions that resulted in at least 44 homes being razed, RFS spokesman Paul Best said.
Assessment teams continue to work in the Warrumbungle region after the Sir Ivan fire blackened 54,000 hectares destroying 34 homes, a church, a community hall and 120 outbuildings.
The Bureau of Meteorology declared a severe fire danger in the NSW Lower Central West Plains area, with high temperatures, low humidity and winds of up to 50km/h.
Other regions with total fire bans in effect are: the Central Ranges; Southern Slopes; Southern Ranges and Monaro Alpine.
This summer is set to be one of the hottest on record.
We have had 10 days above 35C at Observatory Hill, breaking records stretching back to the early 19th century, while February 7 saw more than 40mm of rainfall across Sydney’s suburbs in just half an hour.
EMERGENCY WARNING – Taliesin Rd, Carwoola. Fire crossed Widgiewa & Whiskers Hill, moving in easterly direction towards Captains Flat. pic.twitter.com/n0bUqgF0vE
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) 17 February 2017
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