Storms create havoc for Sydney, Brisbane flights

Sydney Airport flights delayed or cancelled and Brisbane runway is slowed as severe weather moves in.

A storm moves in over Sydney from the south bringing rain and lightning. Picture: John Grainger

Several flights have been cancelled or delayed at Sydney Airport after severe storms swept the city.

And at Brisbane Airport the runway rate has slowed as the city battens down for forecast storms this afternoon.

In Sydney, five arriving flights and five departures were cancelled at the height of the storms, with lightning and heavy rain presenting a considerable safety risk.

Up to 10mm of rain fell in an hour, with some airlines halting the boarding of flights until the storms passed.

The delays could cause a knock on effect this afternoon and Airservices Australia recommends anyone who is booked to fly out of Sydney or Brisbane contact their airline.

Wild, wet and windy weather is pummelling the east coast, with severe thunderstorms likely over much of northern NSW and Queensland.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s 4pm bulletin warned of severe thunderstorms likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding, large hailstones and damaging winds over the next several hours in the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, North West Slopes and Plains, Northern Tablelands and parts of the Hunter, as well as the Central West Slopes and Plains and parts of the Central Tablelands, North West Slopes and Plains, South West Slopes and Riverina districts. Locations which may be affected include Dubbo, Parkes, West Wyalong, Griffith, Hay and Narrandera.

#WARNING UPDATE: Severe thunderstorms likely to produce large hailstones & damaging winds over coming hours. Locations may incl: Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Taree, Armidale, Tamworth, Gunnedah, Moree, Narrabri, Mungindi, Coonabarabran, Sawtell & Dorrigo https://t.co/x77hYBBVxj pic.twitter.com/rTu6qz4NXV

— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) October 10, 2018