Gumleaf
June 4th, 2008, 08:48 AM
23:02 AEST Wed Jun 4 2008
Sydney, the Hunter, Central and mid-north coast of New South Wales (NSW) had been warned to brace this evening for extreme weather - including winds in excess of 90km/h and four metre seas - whipped up by a coastal storm and king tides.
NSW Emergency Services Minister Nathan Rees said residents from Sydney to the Hunter should ready for a wild night, with a low pressure system hovering just off the coast at Nelson Bay, north of Newcastle.
"Sydney, the Hunter and Central Coast are in for a very wet, stormy night with potentially damaging seas along the coast," Mr Rees said.
"An east coast low is situated just off Nelson Bay, with the weather bureau predicting very heavy rainfall for the Hunter and metropolitan areas with wind gusts expected to exceed 90km/h."
But Phil Campbell from the SES says predictions of widespread flooding failed to materialise, with the high tides subsiding around 9.30pm (AEST).
The SES had received just over 200 calls for assistance in the past 24 hours, predominantly for minor problems like leaking roofs and tree damage.
"Nothing very significant at this stage," he said.
Worst affected was the Hastings River region near Port Macquarie, with minor flooding of about a dozen homes at Settlement Point.
"We've had a little bit of localised flooding there on the king tide, it has put water through the garages and around the bottom of about half a dozen to a dozen properties," Mr Campbell said.
"We had to sandbag six properties including the local co-op there.
"The water peaked at around about 1.3 metres on the high tide a little while ago, but it is now starting to slowly fall, and with the flood peak moving through the area were not anticipating any further problems."
But Mr Campbell said more rain was expected in the morning.
"The low (pressure system) is still of the coast and appears to be moving in," he said.
"It looks like we're going to get in the early hours of the morning some more heavy rain. So we're just keeping an eye on it.
"But fortunately the high tide has just passed and the next King Tide isn't until tomorrow night."
Winds reached 70km/h in some coastal spots, not the predicted 90km/h, Mr Campbell said.
"At this stage we haven't had the big gusts up to 90km/h, but that may still happen overnight," he said.
Further north, about 100 families remained isolated upstream of Kempsey on the Macleay River, with low-level bridges under water.
"Those people will be isolated until tomorrow morning," Mr Campbell said.
"The Macleay has fallen below minor flooding levels, but some of these bridges are fairly low lying bridges."
Sydney, the Hunter, Central and mid-north coast of New South Wales (NSW) had been warned to brace this evening for extreme weather - including winds in excess of 90km/h and four metre seas - whipped up by a coastal storm and king tides.
NSW Emergency Services Minister Nathan Rees said residents from Sydney to the Hunter should ready for a wild night, with a low pressure system hovering just off the coast at Nelson Bay, north of Newcastle.
"Sydney, the Hunter and Central Coast are in for a very wet, stormy night with potentially damaging seas along the coast," Mr Rees said.
"An east coast low is situated just off Nelson Bay, with the weather bureau predicting very heavy rainfall for the Hunter and metropolitan areas with wind gusts expected to exceed 90km/h."
But Phil Campbell from the SES says predictions of widespread flooding failed to materialise, with the high tides subsiding around 9.30pm (AEST).
The SES had received just over 200 calls for assistance in the past 24 hours, predominantly for minor problems like leaking roofs and tree damage.
"Nothing very significant at this stage," he said.
Worst affected was the Hastings River region near Port Macquarie, with minor flooding of about a dozen homes at Settlement Point.
"We've had a little bit of localised flooding there on the king tide, it has put water through the garages and around the bottom of about half a dozen to a dozen properties," Mr Campbell said.
"We had to sandbag six properties including the local co-op there.
"The water peaked at around about 1.3 metres on the high tide a little while ago, but it is now starting to slowly fall, and with the flood peak moving through the area were not anticipating any further problems."
But Mr Campbell said more rain was expected in the morning.
"The low (pressure system) is still of the coast and appears to be moving in," he said.
"It looks like we're going to get in the early hours of the morning some more heavy rain. So we're just keeping an eye on it.
"But fortunately the high tide has just passed and the next King Tide isn't until tomorrow night."
Winds reached 70km/h in some coastal spots, not the predicted 90km/h, Mr Campbell said.
"At this stage we haven't had the big gusts up to 90km/h, but that may still happen overnight," he said.
Further north, about 100 families remained isolated upstream of Kempsey on the Macleay River, with low-level bridges under water.
"Those people will be isolated until tomorrow morning," Mr Campbell said.
"The Macleay has fallen below minor flooding levels, but some of these bridges are fairly low lying bridges."