Hutch

Like Polly - I'm prviy to this information in my capacity as an employee of Surf Life Saving Australia. Please take note below:

SES Briefing Note: Potential for Severe Weather commencing 28 May 2010

Background:
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) currently advise a low pressure system off the coast of NSW has the potential to form an East Coast Low impacting across a footprint area from the Hunter coast in the north to the far NSW South Coast and adjacent ranges, by Sunday 30 May 2010.

Current Situation:
This low pressure system has the potential to deliver severe weather over a 2-3 day period commencing from Saturday 29 May. The forecast includes heavy rainfall with possibility of minor to moderate riverine flooding, gale force winds, heavy seas and swell conditions. The greatest impact of this weather system is predicted to occur Sunday through to Monday, with the South Coast, Shoalhaven and identified as having the greatest potential for riverine flooding.

Predictions of 100 – 150mm rainfall over a 24 hour period are possible in affected areas. The BOM indicate the possibility of Flood Watches and severe weather warning by Saturday 29 May.

BoM Severe Weather team and hydrologists will monitor rainfall in affected catchments during Friday 28 May, leading into the weekend.

ECLs can generate one or more of:

• Gale or storm force winds along the coast and adjacent waters
• Heavy widespread rainfall leading to flash and/or major river flooding,
• Very rough seas and prolonged heavy swells over coastal and ocean waters
• which can cause damage to the coastline.
• Falling trees and flash flooding have caused fatalities on the land, many small
• craft have been lost off the coast and larger vessels have run aground during
• these events.

quoll

Ho, wet weekend coming up then huh?! Keep safe all of you down there on the coast - just send some of that rain up the mountains we still need it.

Hutch

Just been down the surf club prepping the IRBs in case they're needed. Forecasting 5m waves in the surf zone and coastal erosion in places.

Pollyana

Sounds like to going to be a rough one down there agai, we were reading the warnings earlier. I'm working all weekend so let me know if you need to borrow any or our SES guys

Stay safe guys.

quoll

And of course there are always going to be some dimwits who think it will be fun to be right on the water's edge (or in it!). Hope you dont have too bad a time of it, it does sound like it is going to be very rough!

Pollyana

Just the same as when a tsunami warning is issued.....people still flock onto the beaches putting their own lives - and those of potential rescuers - at rosk

Pollyana

Disaster zone declared at Lennox Head after tornado rips through coastal towns

Pollyana

and the second lot......

bcworld

Looks like another beautiful day in Sydney!

kimandken

Yes, we watched it coming towards us yesterday morning about 7.30am. The place is trashed, million dollar homes just ripped apart! So sad, but this is a small community who helps each other! We were lucky as it struck just 200 meters away!

Kim

lapin_windstar

It is really pissing it down here in Sydney!

Sydney Water says that sewers are overloaded and untreated sewage will be dumped off the coast, so stay away from beaches for that reason, too...

Pollyana

OMG I did wonder if anyone on here was close to it. Glad you guys are OK. We are used to getting pictures like that emailed to us at work from US tornadoes, but to have them from an Aussie one sends shivers down the spine.
Glad you are OK

moneypenny20

The husband had just moved on to another job at Murwillumbah about half an hour earlier Must have been really weird to see it cut in and out (or up and down) as it did. To have one house completely demolished whilst the next door neighbour doesn't even lose a branch off a tree is freaky!

Gibbo

Saw some freaky results when I visited my brother in Texas. The tornado had hit one gable end of a row of shops, went right through the middle and out the other end. Looking from the front or the back you wouldn't have thought there was anything amiss. Apparently one of the assistants of the supermarket had got all the customers into the freezer room and no one was hurt.

Irish Guinness

Yes welcome to sunny Sydney. We are here on holidays from Adelaide and it has not stopped raining.Lol
Went to Castle Hill shopping yesterday,then to the Maritime Musuem,enjoyed it very much.
Hope to go to the aquatic Centre tomorrow.