Relief as flood-hit Northern NSW dodges heavy rain

A low pressure system has moved away from Northern NSW, bringing relief to the already flood-devastated town of Lismore.

Thousands of residents across the state’s Northern Tablelands are bracing for several days of moderate flash flooding. Photo: James Gourley

Thousands of residents across the state’s Northern Tablelands are bracing for several days of moderate flash flooding after a low pressure system moved away from Northern NSW on Friday, bringing relief to the already flood-devastated town of Lismore.

On Friday, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood warning for Lismore’s Wilsons River, as well as to the nearby towns of Tweed Heads, Murwillumbah, Byron Bay, Ballina and Casino, but later downgraded the threat after the low pressure system began to move offshore.

After a low pressure system moved across the Queensland border on Thursday evening, bringing intense rainfall and moderate flash flooding, SES superintendent Dallas Burns said emergency services were able to cancel the flood watch and severe weather warning for the state’s northeast on Friday afternoon.

Flooding is no longer expected along the Brunswick, Richmond, Coffs Coast, Hastings, Manning, Gloucester and Hunter Rivers.

While the announcement ends speculation about a third major flooding event in the Lismore region, the BOM said up to 10,000 residents in the Northern Tablelands could expect moderate-to-high levels of flash flooding over the next 72 hours.

Gunnedah residents have been warned to prepare for an 8.3 metre flood peak, after the BOM lifted its prediction on Friday afternoon.

“There remains a risk of thunderstorms developing across the coastal fringe from Tweed Heads to Port Macquarie,” the BOM spokesman said, noting that a low pressure system was expected to travel farther south as far as the Blue Mountains on Saturday.

“The severe weather warning has passed and the low pressure system is moving offshore, but the focus will be around areas like Gunnedah, where there is still a lot of dam water causing flash flooding on already saturated ground.”

Emergency services said thousands of residents in the region of Gunnedah were on high alert, with the Namoi River expected to reach major flood levels on Friday evening, ahead of its peak on Saturday.

The SES warned there was still a risk of severe thunderstorms after several areas in the region received 100mm of rain in less than four hours on Friday, with emergency services responding to more than 200 calls for assistance.