Sydney’s rainy weather will likely intensify on Sunday as a cloud band continues to move across Australia, bringing storms and cold temperatures for the first weekend of winter.
After an overcast but dry start to the day, rain hit Sydney in the late morning. More than 20 millimetres had been recorded at Observatory Hill by 2pm.
Helen Reid, a meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said the weather was expected to worsen on Saturday evening and through to Sunday.
“Through the Sydney region, Illawarra, Blue Mountains and Lower Hunter, we can expect to see an increase of rainfall later today,” she said. “There’s also a sense winds will be increasing with this system.”
Reid said “freshening” winds – a term used to describe winds intensifying significantly after relatively still conditions – would occur along the coast, with the possibility of thunderstorms.
The bureau has issued strong marine wind warnings for Sydney’s enclosed waters and coast, and all regional coasts north of and including Batemans.
Wind warnings will remain in place on Sunday, with gale-force winds expected in coastal areas between and including Sydney and Coffs Harbour.
Rain forecast from Friday to Sunday.Credit: Weatherzone.com.au
“As we look into Sunday, we can expect widespread moderate to heavy falls … potentially leading to flash flooding and river level rises,” Reid said, noting a low-pressure weather system would likely bring an increase in rainfall and rough surf conditions as it moved slightly offshore on Saturday night.