NSW State Emergency Service (NSW SES) has warned communities of the risk of damaging winds and thunderstorms in southern and western NSW as the Bureau of Meteorology released a Severe Weather Warning on Sunday morning. There could be 90km/hour winds across the state from Sunday night into Monday. Areas likely to be affected include Bowral, Braidwood, Bathurst, Katoomba, Goulburn and Cooma.
NSW SES Chief Superintendent Sonya Oyston encourages members of the public to prepare for these damaging winds as they could impact their homes and properties.
"With already saturated soils, it will not take much for these damaging wind gusts to easily pull out trees and damage your property".
"It is important to prepare your home and items ahead of this forecast, by tying down loose items, parking your car undercover, away from trees and cutting branches that could cause damage to your home", she said.
Whilst holiday preparations continue this time of year, please be mindful damaging winds can pull down external Christmas decorations and damage property.
Flood operations are still underway throughout Western and Southern NSW, with resupply efforts continuing for isolated communities.
Current areas of concern are towns on the Barwon and Darling Rivers, with major flooding continuing in Bourke, Louth, Tilpa and Wilcannia. The flood peak is slowly moving downstream continuing along the Darling River until late December. Major flooding is still occurring along the Murray and Edwards Rivers at Moulamein, Balranald, Barham and Boundary Bend.
NSW SES Chief Superintendent Sonya Oyston highlights that although flood conditions may have eased upstream, they can also change rapidly with any additional rainfall.
"Despite blue skies and a reprieve in rainfall, due to saturated soils and full catchments, flooding conditions can change quickly with future rainfall. Stay vigilant and heed the warnings issued by the NSW SES"
"Fast moving water is continuing to travel downstream and is dangerous. Do not drive, or enter floodwater", she said.
There are currently 46 NSW SES warnings, 2 at Emergency, 40 at Watch and Act, and 4 at Advice.
For emergency help in floods and storms, call the NSW SES on 132 500. In life threatening situations, call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
