More than 45 flights cancelled at Sydney Airport due to high winds

More than 45 flights out of Sydney have been cancelled as the airport is forced to operate on one runway.

Dozens of flights out of Sydney have been cancelled with high winds battering the east coast.

Sydney Airport is using just one of its three runways due to high winds, with many of the cancelled flights bound for Melbourne, one of the world’s busiest routes.

“Due to high winds Airservices Australia are operating our east-west runway, which may cause some delays throughout the day,” an airport spokeswoman said on Monday.

“We encourage passengers to check with their airline regarding the status of their flight.”

Qantas has cancelled at least 25 flights departing Sydney Airport, 10 of those are Melbourne services, four are Canberra services and 11 are to various other Aussie destinations, according to the Sydney Airport departures board.

Virgin Australia has cancelled 13 flights out of Sydney, eight of those to Melbourne and three to Canberra. It is understood the airline informed affected passengers on Sunday.

High winds and a ground delay program at Sydney Airport is affecting all airlines. Picture: NCA NewsWire / James Gourley

Budget airline Jetstar has cancelled three Sydney to Melbourne services, and seven other flights departing Sydney Airport.

Two Rex Airlines flights out of Sydney have also been cancelled.

Strong winds in Melbourne may also reduce runway capacity at that city's major airport, leading to more delays.

news.com.au understands airlines may be more inclined to cancel Sydney-Melbourne services to take pressure off their schedules because it is such a busy route, rather than cancelling flights to a destination that does not have many other services to rebook affected passengers on.

Millions brace for weather chaos

One woman is dead and thousands of properties are without power as severe weather pummels three states.

The 63-year-old woman was killed near the NSW-Victoria border after a tree fell on her cabin in the early hours of Monday morning.

Evacuation warnings have been issued for parts of Tasmania, with residents in the Derwent River, Meadowbank to Macquarie Plains and Styx River, Bushy Park to Macquarie Plains and surrounds urged to evacuate now by Tasmania SES.

Victorians have been urged to work from home as “watch and act” warnings have been issued, with winds equivalent to a category 3 cyclone smashing the state.

About 180,000 people lost access to power as of 6.30am on Monday, with that figure dropping to 121,000 as of about 10.30am.

Almost 700 people have been left unable to make or receive phone calls, and more than 660 properties have been damaged as a result of the weather.

Victorian Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent revealed some of the homes are “inhabitable”.

– with NCA Newswire