NSW weather: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian warns of 'prolonged 'event — as it happened

Wrapping up

That's it for me. Thank you for joining us. As the Premier said this afternoon, this is going to be a "prolonged" weather event so we'll be back tomorrow with all the updates. Here's where I'm leaving you:

• The last evacuation warning was for Picton at 5:19pm. There have been no other warnings issued since then.
• Many evacuation alerts are still in place, particularly in the Mid North Coast. See below for where to monitor them.
• The BOM says the "weather situation in NSW tonight remains volatile, dangerous and dynamic". They said the next 24 hours will be critical.
• The extreme weather event is moving south tonight and we can expect and uptick in rain in Sydney tomorrow. The BOM says the Mid North Coast could experience another downpour.

In the interim, you can keep an eye on the below:

• ABC Emergency
• NSW SES Evacuation notices
• BOM weather warnings

Apologies for not being able to get to everyone's questions and comments tonight. Stay safe out there.

Im inclined to request a gif. preferably a cute big dog...

-Nat

Ask and you shall receive, Nat.

Mid North Coast flooding — Before/After

These amazing satellite images taken by BigData Earth on Twitter show the extent of the flooding in Taree and Port Macquarie. The dark sections are water.

  

  

What's happening now?

Just wondering when the press conference is, it said 6.30 pm and hadn’t happened?

-Curious

Do we have further information about what developments are expected overnight? I live in Penrith so I'm somewhat worried about potential flooding during the night and what situation we'll wake up to

-Worried Reader

There was never a press conference planned, rather the NSW Premier noted she would be given a report by emergency services at 6pm which would include evacuation plans in the instance Warragamba Dam began to flood the region around it. The Premier isn't ready to make that report public yet.

Unlike COVID-19, the press conferences for natural disasters tend to be a bit more dynamic in their timing. What happens now? I'm rather confident there won't be a press conference between now and tomorrow morning.

I'll be around for a bit longer, but to alleviate your fears the best you can do for you and your loved ones if you think you're in a flood-risk area is to prepare. Our ABC Emergency crew have put this handy disaster plan together.

NSW SES update

Sydney rainfall total

• Sydney Airport — 103.6mm
• Sydney Olympic Park — 89.8mm
• Badgerys Creek — 69.6mm
• Camden — 69.2mm
• Canterbury — 89.2mm
• Gosford — 64mm
• Holsworthy — 75.4mm
• Parramatta — 57mm
• Terrey Hills 73mm

ICYMI: Update from BOM

  

Ms Imielska said the communities most at risk from the Warragamba Dam overflowing are the communities downstream of the dam.

  

"We do have moderate to major flood warnings for the Hawkesbury-Nepean, so that includes North Richmond, Wallacia, Penrith and Sackville," she said.

"So it's really important for communities in the Hawkesbury-Nepean, again downstream of the Warragamba Dam, to really keep an eye on the warnings and current flood situation.

  

She said the current rainfall meant the river rises would would happening overnight and into tomorrow as well.

  

"Now also being mindful that it's still raining and we are seeing that rainfall coming through, so there is a potential for the weather to change as we head into the evening. [But] just make sure that you give yourself enough time to take protective actions or respond to any evacuation orders."

  

She said tonight and tomorrow there was a risk of rainfall "reinvigorating" over the Mid North Coast.

    

"Even enough we are seeing the rainfall and rivers dropping down, we are expecting that to pick back up, so that will remain another watch point in the next 24 hours," she said.

  

The rainfall, she said, will then shift south past Sydney and onto the Illawarra.

  

"So for Sydney, we are still expecting a wet day tomorrow but today is really the bigger of the two," she said.

Stay at home?

There’s a bullet point at the top of the blog saying people are being urged to stay home all next week. Is that all of NSW?? And who is doing the urging please?

-Pip

Hi Pip, the rain isn't expected to subside until Thursday or Friday. It was Premier Gladys Berejiklian and NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York who told people, especially in flood-risk areas, that they should essentially stock-up and stay home.

Police Minister David Elliott added people should be minimising travel where ever possible during the stormy periods. You can watch the full press conference on our Facebook here.

Worth noting we are still waiting on the State Government to give us further directions about evacuation orders. Keep up to date with us here or through your local ABC radio station.

Sydney public transport update

• On the T1 Western Line and Blue Mountains Line, allow extra travel time due a train requiring mechanical repairs at Burwood earlier.
   
• On the T8 Airport & South Line buses are replacing trains between Kingsgrove and Revesby, in that direction only, due to an incident involving an empty heritage train at Revesby earlier and flooding at Bardwell Park. Also allow extra travel time on the T2 Inner West & Leppington Line as a result of the same incidents.
   
• On the South Coast Line, allow extra travel time due to track equipment repairs at Dapto earlier.
   
• On the Central Coast & Newcastle Line, buses continue to replace trains between Newcastle and Fassifern due to severe weather conditions causing flooding at Cockle Creek. Also allow extra travel time due to track equipment repairs at Redfern. 
   
• On the T9 Northern Line, allow extra travel time due to track equipment repairs at Redfern. 
   
• On the Hunter Line, limited bus services continue to replace trains between Newcastle Interchange, Maitland and Dungog or Scone due to severe weather conditions causing flooding. 
   
• Additionally, Newcastle Light Rail services are not running between Newcastle Interchange and Newcastle Beach due to severe weather conditions. Consider a local bus instead. 
   
• A significant number of bus routes are diverting and are delayed across the state. Passengers should check their trip before they travel. 
   

Storm brewing in the west

The flooding rains described as "dangerous and threatening" by the Bureau of Meteorology that are already sweeping along the east coast are just a taste of a soaking forecast for more than two-thirds of the country next week.

A deepening low off the NSW coast is due to meet a north-west cloudband stretching from the Kimberley to Tasmania.

Although focus is on the eastern coast of Australia, on the other side of the country there's another major rain event.

ABC Weather reporter Ben Deacon has more here.

Register for evacuation

NSW Police is asking anyone who is evacuating their home, business or place of work to register their details on the Red Cross register. The service is used to for people to help find and reunite with family, friends and loved ones after an emergency.

Hikers in Blue Mountains rescued

A NSW Ambulance spokesman told me that about 20 minutes ago they made contact with the pair. They were "a bit cold" but are in good spirits. They've been warmed up, hydrated and are being prepared to be transported out of there.

'I've been crying all morning'

Port Macquarie resident Beverley Quill went to work last night and had no idea of the devastation that awaited her at home.

She was emotional as she waded through the water, retrieving family photographs and moving furniture bought for two properties she intended to rent out.

"It's devastating, very devastating," she said.

"I never thought this would happen, it's never ever happened here. It's regularly happening down the road but never here. It's just unbelievable."

In more bad news for Ms Quill, who had just cancelled her flood insurance, the floodwater was expected to rise again later this evening due to the high tide.

"I was a mess before you guys were here, I've been crying all morning ... I said to the kids, 'Don't leave me, I have the worst anxiety', it's really hard," she said.

Why is Warragamba Dam spilling over such a concern?

The short of it is, the natural geography of the land surrounding the catchment means there is a lot of water that needs to move around but only really one effective way for it to get to the sea. And if the water can't leave down the river system, well...

It's on the higher end of worse case scenario, but it's worth the 150 seconds.

Parramatta ferries services stopped

Calf rescue

Wow lets hope for people and animals lives keep safe

-Ellen

Kendall Public School kids rescued

In regards to the students who slept at Kendall Public School overnight, they've all been collected and have been able to return home.

Weather delays vaccine rollout

The Federal Government said extreme weather condition have disrupted vaccine deliveries across NSW.

"Vaccines are being delivered across the country and will be in place in most locations by the end of the weekend," a Federal Government spokesperson said.

"Due to extreme weather conditions and flooding in many parts of NSW, vaccine delivery is being affected in Sydney and across multiple regional NSW locations.

"The Department of Health is working directly with GPs on these issues and we ask for the public’s patience and understanding with these unforeseen supply delays."

The Department of Health is reviewing logistical information for the vaccine rollout today and is investigating if delivery constraints in NSW will impact neighboring regions.

The timing of the delays are still being worked through, but the Government doesn't expect it to last more than a few days.

🚨 Evacuation warning: Picton   🚨

The NSW SES is advising people in Picton CBD to prepare to evacuate.

"As a result of rising flood waters people within the Picton CBD should prepare to evacuate," it said.

"Once floodwaters begin to rise in Stonequarry Creek you will see flooding of roads, sewerage lines and power may be lost, and properties to be inundated. If you remain in the area you may become trapped and it may be too dangerous for NSW SES to rescue you."

The emergency agency said residents in the area should:

• Identify a safe place to stay with family or friends
• Lift belongings in their home above the predicted flood heights by placing them on tables, beds and benches
• Prepare to take pets, warm clothes, medicines, insurance documents and other essential items
• Share this information with family, friends and neighbours