NSW braces for thunderstorms, possible flash flooding as storm season begins

Residents in one state have been told to prepare for bad weather in the coming days, with saturated rivers and heavy rain creating perfect conditions for flash floods.

NSW will be at a ‘much greater risk’ of flash flooding during this year’s storm season, meteorologists have warned. Picture: David Swift / Pool / Getty Images

NSW will be at a “much greater risk” of flash flooding during this year’s storm season, meteorologists have warned, as a major weather system is heading towards the state.

The bad weather should hit the state by Tuesday or Wednesday next week, bringing rain, thunder and possible flooding, the Bureau of Meteorology’s Gabrielle Woodhouse said.

“We’re expecting a fairly significant system to move across NSW,” she told reporters on Thursday.

Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke, right, said the SES would launch a new warning system. Picture: David Swift-Pool / Getty Images

“We’re looking at widespread showers and thunderstorms, and obviously that’s going to be falling across catchments that are already wet.

“That’s really going to exacerbate any flood risk across those regions.”

Ms Woodhouse said flash flooding is “very, very dangerous” and can happen “in a matter of minutes”.

“We’re seeing very wet conditions on the ground; there are so many catchments in flood,” she said.

“What this means is in the coming months, when we do see thunderstorms, it’s likely any rainfall will run off much more quickly – this means that you have a much greater risk of seeing flash flooding.”

Floods devastated communities across NSW earlier in the year. Picture: David Swift / Pool /Getty Images

The Bureau gave an update alongside NSW Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke, who said the State Emergency Service would adopt a new warning system for the coming months.

Ms Cooke said the new warning system would have three tiers:

1. Advice
2. Watch and act
   
3. Emergency warning
   

Ms Cooke said the new system would “deliver more localised and targeted communication of risks, and clearer warnings about the action people need to take to stay safe.”

The warnings will be issued through text messages, the SES website and social media channels, and the media.

There are currently 14 flood warnings in place across the state, Ms Cooke said.

The NSW government faced blistering criticism for its handling of a series of floods which devastated communities earlier this year.

The report said the SES and the recovery agency Resilience NSW had both “failed to provide leadership and effective co-ordination in the community’s greatest time of need”.

Heavy and sustained rain caused devastating floods twice in just a few months from late February, killing several people and displacing thousands from their homes in many areas of the state.

“We know that you are weary … we understand your anxiety,” Ms Cooke said to flood-affected communities on Thursday.