Heavy downpour causes flash flooding in Sydney

Angry commuters have lashed out at Sydney Trains on social media after the torrential rain caused multiple delays this morning.

The heavy rain drenching eastern NSW has caused chaos in Sydney this morning, with flash flooding sparking road closures and flooding offices.

The Bureau of Meteorology on Friday morning issued a severe weather warning that stretches along the coast from the south of Wollongong up to Lismore in the north.

Sydney has had its wettest period since March last year with 70mm falling on the CBD overnight.

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The rain caused traffic chaos for commuters this morning. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

More rain has fallen in six hours than has fallen in the last three months combined.

The NSW State Emergency Services (SES) has received around 215 calls for assistance since midnight and more than 500 since the rain started on Wednesday.

Trains have been impacted by the wet weather, with a number of services experiencing delays and slower boarding times due to the rain.

A branch that had fallen across the tracks at Artarmon also added to the delays.

#SydneyTrains pic.twitter.com/h5a7lV8nEt

— Neko (@james_neko) February 6, 2020

Stuck at coalcliff in pouring rain for over an hour with no clear idea on how we would get to the city. Sydney trains strikes again with an unmitigated disaster. I would have live tweeted by there was no reception. Thanks NSW #sydneytrains

— May Fahmi (@may_fahmi) February 6, 2020

Train driver just apologised for the delays ‘due to the weather & whatever else is going on today’. #sydneytrains aren’t even made for rain 😂 Is this the worst train system in the world or what? But hey... at least we have a light rail that no one uses @GladysB 😂👏

— ᔕumma Jae 💗 (@djsummajae) February 6, 2020

Hey @GladysB @AndrewConstance how many billions have you wasted on transport projects and Sydney trains still can’t run in the rain?

— Cinzia Myatt (@cinziamyatt) February 6, 2020

A number of roads were closed around Sydney this morning due to flooding, sparking very heavy traffic right across the city.

Parts of Victoria Rd, Pittwater Rd, the Hume Highway, Princes Highway and many others were impacted by the heavy rain.

Drive to the conditions - lights on and slow down. And remember, if it's flooded, forget it. Check the latest at https://t.co/x0CH6q8X6Z. https://t.co/PYeTRBNvkD

— Live Traffic NSW (@LiveTrafficNSW) February 6, 2020

DEE WHY: There's flooding in southbound lanes of Pittwater Rd approaching Lismore Ave. Traffic is heavy. Slow down, drive to the conditions and allow extra travel time. pic.twitter.com/PVRJFGjEVo

— Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) February 6, 2020

Commuters have taken to social media to complain about the horror conditions on the roads today.

“Sydney traffic when it rains: 1 hour and 40mins into a 75min commute, only halfway to work,” one Twitter user said.

“Driving in Sydney in the rain is perhaps the worst thing in the world right now,” another wrote.

With the rain set to continue over the coming days, NSW Police have sent out a warning to drivers to take extra care.

“Many motorists haven’t experienced significant rain in a while, with the roads likely to be quite slippery as they haven’t seen significant water in quite some time,” the police said.

“Please take extra care and slow down – we want everyone to arrive at their destination safely.

“Drive to the conditions – if visibility is poor and rain is heavy on the roadway, adjust your speed and drive to survive. Leave additional room between yourself and the car in front of you.”

It isn’t just traffic that has been impacted by the rain, with pictures showing an office in the CBD completely flooded as a result of the wet weather.

Pictures show massive pools of water covering the carpet and power boards and cords sitting on the wet floor.

A flooded office in Sydney's CBD this morning. Picture: Supplied

The rain left pools of water all over the carpeted floor. Picture: Supplied

If the Bureau of Meteorology’s upper rain forecast is correct, Sydney could see just shy of 400mm of rain over the next week. That’s more than three months’ worth of rainfall in a single week.

While the rain is causing issues for Sydney commuters, it is good news for fire affected areas across the state, with the NSW Rural Fire Service “over the moon” about the downpour.

“Today we were over the moon to see rain arrive across many parts of New South Wales, with decent fall in the State’s north,” the RFS said on Thursday night.

RFS Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons shared his delight about rainfall expected on fire grounds.

“So nice listening to rain falling last night and driving with windscreen wipers on for a change this morning,” he tweeted.

-With AAP