Summary
- Greater Sydney dam levels were at 64.2% on Monday morning, up from 41.9% in seven days, with Warragamba Dam sitting at 60.7% at 10.30am.
- The ash and debris generated by recent bushfires around the Warragamba area will not affect water quality, and two silt curtains are in place to intercept ash run-off, WaterNSW said.
- Prospect Dam is more than 90% full, and Woronora Dam in Sydney’s south is almost 60% full, jumping 25 percentage points.
- The NSW Rural Fire Service said the following fires that have ravaged the state’s east are out: Gospers Mountain, Myall Creek Road, Erskine Creek, Kerry Ridge, Green Wattle Creek, Morton and Currrowan.
- And the ABC is reporting all fires in NSW could be out by the end of the week.
- Up to 25 metres of beach at Collaroy and Narrabeen has been swept away by huge waves generated by the east coast low. While properties along the beach have been spared serious damage today, the threat is expected to return in coming days when more storms are forecast.
- Flash flooding remains a possibility in several NSW regions, including Sydney.
- The SES issued the all clear for Narrabeen lagoon at 10.30am but there are a number of spots around Sydney that have flood evacuation orderss. Check the SES website for details.
- Ausgrid crews are continuing to deal with 3,100 hazards, including fallen powerlines, fallen trees, damaged wires and extensive flash flooding. The company has restored power to 61,000 customers and is continuing efforts to reconnect 79,000 still without power.
Updated
Water flows into Warragamba Dam
The Warragamba Dam recouped a year’s worth of water in one weekend, rising 17.7 percentage points to sit at 60.7% at 10.30am on Monday, AAP reports. Some 360,000 megalitres of water flowed into the dam, almost as much as 150,000 Olympic-size swimming pools.
Here’s a before and after comparison created by my colleague Patrick Lum:
Updated
My Guardian Australia colleague Amaani Siddeek has been looking into the effects of the storm on parts of Sydney that are at risk from coastal erosion.
Up to 25 metres of beach at Collaroy and Narrabeen has been swept away by huge waves generated by the east coast low that brought a deluge to Sydney at the weekend.
The storm weather brought ‘abnormally high tides’ and strong winds and the city’s heaviest rainfall in up to two decades, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
Drone footage showed waves sweeping up to the foot of houses along the beach where a similar storm in 2016 destroyed a private swimming pool and caused serious erosion.
A coastal researcher, Prof Mitchell Harley, from the University of New South Wales, said properties along the beach had been spared serious damage on Monday but the threat would resume in coming days when more storms were forecast.
You can read the full report from Amaani below.
Large amounts of #foam at #Collaroy following yesterday's #storm, which produced up to 6m easterly #waves. Often this foam is associated to #water pollution but in this case it is made of #phytoplancton and is completely natural! pic.twitter.com/IfSwibMnx8
— Kilian Vos (@_kvos) February 9, 2020
Updated
The SES issued the all clear for Narrabeen lagoon at 10.30am but there are a number of locations around Sydney that still have flood evacuation orders in place.
They include: Bankstown aerodrome, East Hills, Holsworthy, Picnic Point, Pleasure Point, Sandy Point, Milperra, Moorebank, Chipping Norton, Hawkesbury River at North Richmond lowlands, Pitt Town Bottoms area and Gronos Point area.
You can find more details about the specific streets affected here.
Updated
From #NSWfires to #NSWFloods... if you don’t believe that the #ClimateCrisis is a real thing, can we at least agree that what we are doing to our 🌍 is not ok? Sydney’s iconic Bay Run - litter as far as the eye can see after the storms. pic.twitter.com/alw4SVkXy3
— Jess_says_stuff (@jess_says_stuff) February 10, 2020
Here’s another view of the enormous amount of water that has flowed into Lake Conjola on the south coast of New South Wales in the past 48 hours.
Just over 48 hours ago Lake Conjola was at 30cm deep. Now it’s at 1.5 metres. #NSWFloods @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/awqvgCN5XP
— Lucy Murray (@lucymurray53) February 10, 2020
Updated
Amazing news. A list of some of those huge fires that have been extinguished since the weekend.
This is the most positive news we've had in some time.
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) February 10, 2020
The recent rainfall has assisted firefighters to put over 30 fires out since Friday. Some of these blazes have been burning for weeks and even months.#NSWRFS #NSWFires pic.twitter.com/fNyuSE6nAx
M7 northbound lanes now clear
Update:
All northbound lanes have reopened on the M7.
— Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) February 10, 2020
Updated
All fires in NSW could be extinguished by the end of the week
In what will be very welcome news, the ABC is reporting all fires in NSW could be extinguished by the end of the week. Guardian Australia has contacted the NSW RFS and the NSW government for confirmation.
Some great news: the @NSWRFS says it expects all existing bushfires in NSW to be extinguished by the end of the week, thanks to the rain. pic.twitter.com/X4KkRDGGFL
— Shalailah Medhora (@shalailah) February 10, 2020
Updated
Allow extra driving time if you’re travelling north on the M7.
M7: 1 of 2 northbound lanes closed near Eastern Rd due to debris on the rd. Allow extra travel time., traffic slow from Eastern Creek.
— Live Traffic Sydney (@LiveTrafficSyd) February 10, 2020
What a difference a few days make. This weekend's wild waves, before and after. Images from our @UNSW coastal imaging station #sydneystorms #sydneystorm #erosion @UNSWEngineering pic.twitter.com/N6PjOB1SEc
— Mitchell Harley (@DocHarleyMD) February 10, 2020
Another flood warning for the NSW Central Coast
FLOOD WARNING TUGGERAH LAKE: Minor #flooding is current at #Tuggerah Lake where the lake level is close to its peak. Warning: https://t.co/Gt4oXvYcOC NSW SES FloodSafe: https://t.co/AbGRsGsth5 pic.twitter.com/5hEDP5KZAe
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 10, 2020
A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for heavy rainfall and damaging winds.
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING: For the Northern Rivers, Mid North Coast, Hunter, South West Slopes, Northern Tablelands and parts of Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, North West Slopes and Plains, Central West Slopes and Plains and Riverina. Warning: https://t.co/Y8Fa6xmRvJ pic.twitter.com/t8h9YxL3BN
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 10, 2020
After losing 20 of the town's 25 homes - Nerrigundah is now under water. One resident, while angry and sad, says "it's nice to have the ground washed". That's glass half full if I've ever seen it. pic.twitter.com/1D4pSzJ00f
— Claire Wheaton (@claireawheaton) February 10, 2020
89,000 people are still without power in NSW.
Power has been restored to 51,000 customers but 89,000 still remain without power, primarily in Sydney’s north, northern beaches, eastern suburbs, south and south west; the Central Coast & Newcastle. Power outages will continue for the next few days as we recover from the storm pic.twitter.com/Wj0h54Kd0N
— Ausgrid (@Ausgrid) February 10, 2020
And here’s why it’s gone out.
Torrential rainfall along the east coast of #NSW has delivered 24 hour totals to 9am this morning in excess of 200mm to much of the central and southern coast, with multiple location receiving more than 350mm. Stay up to date with the latest warnings https://t.co/j1imXhsdGV pic.twitter.com/LETdiCpHjU
— Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) February 10, 2020
Gospers Mountain fire extinguished
Some phenomenal news. The Gospers Mountain mega-fire, which at its peak was the largest fire in Australia, has been put out by the weekend’s immense rain, the RFS says.
The fire, near the Blue Mountains, was 512,626ha – which is larger than Long Island and Manhattan combined.
It of course leaves a lot of devastation behind.
An RFS spokesman, James Morris, told the ABC the fire was “officially set to ‘out’ this morning around 8.20am due to significant rainfall”. And it has now been removed from the RFS Fires Near Me app.
Updated
There is also a severe thunderstorm warning for large parts of Queensland, and two more flood warnings, one for the Clarence River at Grafton, and one for the Hawkesbury, Nepean and Colo rivers.
⚠️ Detailed Severe #QldStorm Warning issued for damaging #winds, heavy #rain and large #hail, for a severe thunderstorm north of #Stanthorpe and west of #Warwick. Details and updates: https://t.co/hCcHMINQxW pic.twitter.com/3UoDoeTOil
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) February 10, 2020
FLOOD WARNING #HAWKESBURY-NEPEAN: Minor to Moderate Flood Warning for the Hawkesbury, Nepean and Colo Rivers
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 10, 2020
including #Menangle, #Camden, #Wallacia, #Penrith, North #Richmond, #Windsor, #Sackville, Lower #Portland and Putty Road. https://t.co/v3ccRKrC1J pic.twitter.com/rjSDCfmK7w
FLOOD WARNING CLARENCE RIVER: Warning: The #Clarence River at #Grafton (Prince St) is expected to reach the minor #flood level (2.10 m) Monday afternoon. Warning: https://t.co/EoDqNObAQl NSW SES FloodSafe info: https://t.co/RDIrdTa57V pic.twitter.com/jp33B7q7ql
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 10, 2020
Updated
Seafoam and beach erosion , Collaroy/Narrabeen #stormsurge @nampix for @smh pic.twitter.com/etrNtT6A2p
— Nick Moir (@nampix) February 9, 2020
And a warning for the Bega River.
FLOOD WARNING BEGA RIVER: Warning: The #Bega River at Bega North is expected to exceed the minor #flood level (4.60 m) this evening. https://t.co/ojSszN6Brf NSW SES FloodSafe: https://t.co/aGeWTGvLcj pic.twitter.com/udmBEPzTme
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 10, 2020
Flood warning for Moruya and Deua rivers
A flood warning has just been issued for the Moryua and Deua rivers on the south coast. Moderate flooding is forecast for Wamban.
FLOOD WARNING #MORUYA AND #DEUA RIVERS: Moderate flooding is expected on the Deua River at #Wamban. Moderate flooding is expected at #Riverview late Monday afternoon. Warning: https://t.co/ki60C0hbS4 NSW SES FloodSafe info: https://t.co/AbGRsGsth5 pic.twitter.com/fGtoIChoQi
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) February 10, 2020
Queen's tree dead
An important update on a story we brought you earlier.
A reader has informed us that a huge tree that fell over in the Sydney CBD was in fact planted by the Queen.
The tree, near the corner of Bridge and Loftus streets, was planted by the Queen on her first visit to Australia in 1954. This story from the ABC shows an archival image of a very young queen and a very young tree.
Another tree next to it, planted by Prince Philip, is still upright.
A big tree gone in Sydney CBD after a weekend of wild wild weather. @joshgnosis pic.twitter.com/l441eWI6Lu
— david munk (@davidmunk) February 9, 2020
Updated
In Queensland, the drought-hit town of Dalby has spent Monday recovering from a suprise flood at the weekend.
AAP reported:
Myall Creek, which runs through the centre of Dalby, rose to a height of 3.1 metres on Sunday morning, well above the flood height mark of about two metres.
Dalby is accustomed to flooding; the most recent flood which caused major damage was in 2011.
Minor damage was recorded at a few properties along the creek on Sunday, and many residents were unprepared because the flood came so fast.
Vicki Gibbs, a director at Southey’s Mechanical, said residents were caught off guard because floodwaters did not follow the usual route to Dalby.
“The waters came from Bell and Kaimkillenbun rather than the Bunya Mountains – not the normal route,” she said.
“You usually have 12 hours’ [notice] if it comes from the Bunyas but this happened rapidly.”
Nev Volker, who owns a cafe in Dalby’s main street, said he had no choice but to stay closed because none of his staff could get to work.
“I know some places opened but the middle of town was just empty because no one could get there, or they were watching for the flood warnings,” he said.
Updated
Hi all, this is Naaman Zhou taking over from Calla Wahlquist.
In proof that the job never ends, the NSW Rural Fire Service commissioner, Shane Fitzsimmons, has tweeted praise of fire crews who have been out helping the SES.
As he says, the wild weather means “a quick change of role from firefighting to storm and flood damage”.
Caught up with the @BerowraRFB crews getting ready to go out and assist #NSWSES again today. Like so many other #NSWRFS brigades across storm and rain affected areas of NSW, a quick change of role from fire fighting to storm and flood damage. Thanks again all pic.twitter.com/WzciFliKIK
— Shane Fitzsimmons (@RFSCommissioner) February 10, 2020
Updated
While people on the NSW south coast are undoubtedly happy to get some rain to finally extinguish those bushfires, it must be devastating to have begun cleaning up after one natural disaster and then immediately be hit by another.
What a difference four weeks makes. Photos taken by Kellie Smith from her back door, south coast NSW. Incredible contrast. #Sydneystorm #NSWfloods pic.twitter.com/LO6mr6H9Ry
— LJ Charleston (@LJCharleston) February 9, 2020
The wildlife also needs the water; really doesn’t need the flood.
This soggy roo was spotted swimming through floodwaters at Lake Conjola on the NSW south coast – a region smashed by bushfires a month ago. #9News
— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) February 10, 2020
There’s more wild weather to come: https://t.co/ADgslUGdZW pic.twitter.com/XuCglaw5MW
Updated
It’s raining in Canberra, but the Orroral Valley fire is still going
A big dumping of rain has failed to extinguish the bushfire burning on the outskirts of Canberra, AAP reports.
More than 60mm fell on the national capital in the 24 hours to 9am Monday.
But the Orroral Valley fire, which has burned almost 90,000ha in two weeks, remains at advice-level warning as crews try to bring it under control. It was, however, enough for the ACT to lift its state of alert.
Canberra residents complained on Sunday that the rain radar appeared to show clouds avoiding the city.
I do wonder if Canberra has had some type of hydrophobic coating secretly applied.. the rain seems to be going to a lot of trouble to avoid us. pic.twitter.com/gAb9XQhcfy
— Prof Jodie Bradby (@JodieBradby) February 9, 2020
Not any more.
We have a new river. Love the Rain #canberra pic.twitter.com/K61MAIVScG
— Dr Mary Dahm (@DrMaryDahm) February 9, 2020
Updated
Do you remember this image taken by Australian photographer Matt Abbott for the New York Times at Lake Conjola on New Year’s Eve? It went around the world and became a symbol of the bushfire crisis.
Well, there’s been an update.
This is what some residents at Lake Conjola have woken up to this morning! 💦 🦘 @9NewsSyd pic.twitter.com/B9AxLXSv0c
— Zara James (@Zara_James9) February 10, 2020
Warragamba Dam 61.8% full
The water level in Warragamba Dam, the main water supply for Sydney, has increased by almost 20 percentage points in 24 hours, my colleague Naaman Zhou reports.
On Sunday morning Warragamba was 43.8% full. On Monday morning it was at 61.8%. That’s 363,681ML flowing into Warragamba alone. Across the whole of Sydney’s catchment area, 512,452ML flowed into dams.
More on that here:
Updated
Here are some more images from Collaroy, in Sydney’s northern beaches, this morning.


Updated
Is this rain drought-breaking?
Jane Golding was asked if the rain was enough to be considered drought-breaking. The short answer is: not yet.
Here’s the long answer:
We have seen some good falls on the western side of the divide as well ... We have heard that it’s very welcome out that way.
Some locations have seen upwards of 100mm over the past few days and more rain than they have seen in quite a few years – four or five years ...
I know that some farmers out that way are feeling pretty optimistic. But what we really need is follow-up rain. The rainfall deficiency is so severe that the soil is dry to deep levels, so we really need that follow-up rain.
We do look like we’ll get some pretty beefy thunderstorms out that way today and tomorrow, so that will deliver more rain. But it’s over the next month or so that we need that follow-up.
Golding said NSW can expect thunderstorms every day for the next week, and those storms will be accompanied by heavy localised rain.
Updated
The BoM’s Jane Golding also said the risk of coastal erosion would continue tomorrow, with another high tide forecast. Sydney has experienced king tides and swells of 5m for two days, causing coastal inundation and erosion.
Tomorrow’s high tide could cause further inundation and localised flooding, she says.
NSW police issued a further warning to people not to drive or walk into flood waters, enter rough seas, or go too close to flooded drains. Assistant commissioner Karen Webb said emergency services spent yesterday and last night rescuing people who did not heed those warnings.
Across the weekend we’ve had people driving into, walking into flooded roadways and water courses which has required rescue.
We’ve had people enter surf where it’s been unsafe and had to be rescued from that, and also drains.
We’ve had a 13-year-old boy on the north shore who went near a drain and had to be rescued and taken to hospital.
Flood waters in suburban and metropolitan areas are still flood waters: don’t enter them.
Updated
On the subject of landslips Howard Collins, the chief operating officer of Transport NSW, said the Blue Mountains line west of Springwood, all the way to Bathurst, would be out for “a number of days, if not longer” because of a “very significant” landslip at Leura.
Buses replace #BlueMountainsLine trains between Mount Victoria & Lawson due to a tree in the overhead wiring at Blackheath & a landslip at Leura caused by severe weather conditions.
— NSW TrainLink West (@TrainLinkWest) February 9, 2020
Trains continue to run btwn Lawson and the City
Please allow plenty of extra travel time. pic.twitter.com/1PSY0ZiA1g
Collins said it had been “a tough 24 hours” and that although major arterial roads in Sydney and surrounds were open, there were still closures in some local roads. Public transport heading north, south and west out of Sydney has been affected, and there’s also some flooding to train tunnels in Sydney.
He asked people to avoid driving wherever possible.
If you don’t have to be on the road, don’t travel.
Updated
‘We’re extinguishing fires’
The rain is moving south and falling over bushfire grounds on the NSW south coast. It will be for the Rural Fire Service to confirm, the Bureau of Meteorology’s Jane Golding says, but that rain is falling over fire grounds in volumes sufficient to put fires out.
She says:
It’s a good news story. We’re extinguishing fires.
The south coast has received between 100mm and 150mm in the past 12 to 18 hours. Within the next two hours or so the rain will cross over to Victoria, where it’s forecast to fall in similar volumes on fire grounds around Mallacoota and the Cann river.
There are some flood warnings in place for the NSW south coast and East Gippsland in Victoria. Golding said she has not received any reports of landslips on the south coast, but it is possible.
The slopes are certainly vulnerable enough and what we’ve seen around the Blue Mountains has showed that that has happened.
Updated
Sydney has had most rain in one stretch since 1990: BoM
The Bureau of Meteorology just updated the rain and floods situation in NSW, together with emergency services.
The BoM’s manager of NSW/ACT weather services, Jane Golding, said some coastal areas in the Illawarra have received almost 700mm of rain since Wednesday.
That is a lot of rain.
The highest totals were at Robertson in the Illawarra, which has recorded 698mm since Wednesday, of which 500mm fell at the weekend. Brogers Creek, also in the Illawarra, “was not far behind”.
Pottsville, which is on the coast in the northern rivers region, recorded 605mm since Wednesday, and parts of the central tablelands recorded 631mm since Wednesday.
Sydney received between 200mm and 300mm of rain at the weekend. Again, that is a very lot of rain.
Says Golding:
A preliminary look at those rainfall numbers suggest that they’ve been the highest multi-day figures for the Sydney area since February 1990 when we had ex-tropical cyclone Nancy move over the region.
Updated
Warnings in place for WA fires
Moving off floods briefly: a watch and act alert remains in place for a fire near Ravensthorpe in south-eastern WA. The fire was first reported on Thursday and was started by a lightning strike, the WA fire and emergency services department said. It has burned through almost 180,000ha.
Another watch and act alert is in place for a separate fire a bit further north, near Holleton. That fire was also started by lightning on Thursday and is 82,000ha.
A third fire which destroyed one house and damaged two others at Katanning is listed as advice level. It was first reported on Friday and its cause is unknown. It’s substantially smaller – just 4,600ha – but it’s in farmland.
Updated
Insurance council declares east coast flooding and storms a catastrophe
The Insurance Council has declared the east coast storms and flooding a catastrophe. It is the sixth catastrophe to be declared in Australia in the past five months. Because, again, we are in a climate emergency.
This particular catastrophe dates back to 5 February. As of 7am, insurers have received 10,000 claims with an estimated total value of $45m. Most of the claims are for property damage caused by storm runoff, flooding, strong winds and heavy rain.
Here’s the Insurance Council of Australia’s head of risk and operations, Karl Sullivan:
Insurers expect a large number of claims will be lodged over the next 48 hours as property owners inspect the damage to homes and businesses and contact their insurers. It’s likely many householders are unable to contact their insurers due to telecommunications and power interruptions, but insurers are standing by to help.
So far most of the claims are from south-east Queensland and along New South Wales coastal regions, but damage has also been reported several hundred kilometres inland and in the ACT.
The catastrophe declaration means claims will be given priority by insurers.
Sullivan said insurers were also monitoring the extent of damage in the Pilbara in Western Australia from tropical cyclone Damien, but that hasn’t been declared a catastrophe.
The other five catastrophes were:
- NSW and Queensland bushfires in September: 437 claims, worth $37m.
- Fires in Rappville, NSW in October: 255 claims, insured losses of $19m.
-
The summer bushfire season in NSW, Queensland, Victoria and South Australia: more than 20,000 claims, losses of $1.65bn logged from November to February.
- November hailstorms in south-east Queensland: 22,000 claims, losses of $166m
-
January hailstorms in Canberra, Victoria and NSW: 69,850 claims, worth $638m
Updated
Collecting the whole set... pic.twitter.com/UHjRpgnwkw
— Jamie Cummins (@jc_cummins) February 9, 2020
Bushfire-affected areas of the NSW south coast are also copping it.
This was Lake Conjola 39 days ago.

And here it is today. The same volunteers who protected homes and lives during the fires are out again, this time trying to defend against floods.
The advice for both situations is the same: pay attention to the warnings, prepare your house and stay off the roads.
Firies back in Lake Conjola... this time helping with the floods. It was only 6 weeks ago when the Currowan Fire ripped through this community and destroyed 89 homes. @7NewsSydney @NSWRFS #NSWFloods #AustraliaOnFire pic.twitter.com/TC0e9Ev2Tx
— Mylee Hogan (@MyleeHogan) February 9, 2020
Awaiting next month’s image of this soggy RFS sign surrounded by a plague of locusts.
Ok. May not get our deposit back on that sign.
— NSW RFS (@NSWRFS) February 9, 2020
We are loving the rain - but please stay safe during this wild weather. #nswrfs https://t.co/y3BW6G0ryh
Flood warning for East Gippsland
Let’s look further south now, to East Gippsland, where bushfire-affected communities are now facing the risk of flooding.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning this morning for the eastern corner of the state around Mallacoota, Cann River, Chandlers Creek and Combienbar – all areas directly impacted by bushfire in the past month.
The low-pressure system that caused flooding from Queensland down to Sydney is heading south, and is expected to dump between 25mm and 60mm of rain, with localised falls of up to 100mm of rain, today.
Because these areas have been stripped of their ground cover, there is also a risk of landslides.
⚠️ #Flood Watch issued for #Cann, #Genoa and #Snowy catchments. Minor flooding possible from Monday afternoon due to heavy rain on Monday. See https://t.co/zQk6fgvnx0 for details and updates; follow advice from @vicemergency. #VicFloods @vicsesnews pic.twitter.com/Pa1AXxh2Hs
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) February 9, 2020
The State Emergency Service has warned that waterways could be filled with ash, soil, rocks and trees, and that “in areas recently affected by fires, heavy rainfall increases the potential for landslides and debris across roads”.
Parts of East Gippsland around Bairnsdale and Buchan have already received a significant amount of rain following the fires, with more than 100mm falling over the past month in some areas. Mallacoota and surrounds missed most of that rain.
On a positive note, it could help put out or significantly quell bushfires that, because of the topography of Gippsland, can’t be reached by firefighters.
As of Monday morning, the main fire in the area, the 650,000ha Snowy River Complex, still had a number of hot spots that were creating smoke in the area but was not creating an immediate threat to the community. The Mallacoota fire complex, also known as the border fire, is still burning and is not yet under control, but it’s also not posing a threat to communities at this stage.
Updated
Continuing the theme of disgusting sea foam, take a look at Cronulla beach right now.
This gloopy nonsense happens when you get churning waters (from, say, a storm causing 5-metre waves) in a body of water with higher concentrations of dissolved organic matter. The effect of that churning water hitting the beach is kind of like whipping egg whites, with similar but less pavlova-friendly results.
Cronulla right now looks like it had a foam party last night ha! @sunriseon7 #sydneystorms pic.twitter.com/DN4t5OMXpt
— Teigan Nash (@TeiganNash) February 9, 2020
Don’t play in the sea foam, folks.
It’s Calla Wahlquist here, taking over from my colleague Josh Taylor.
Let’s check back in with Collaroy, where the combination of a king tide and big seas is causing coastal erosion – again. Collaroy and neighbouring Narrabeen Beach in Sydney’s northern beaches were among the worst affected by coastal erosion in Sydney’s last big rain event in June 2016.
We won’t be able to see how bad the damage is until the sea recedes, but it doesn’t look good.
Easterly waves still pumping over 3m at Narrabeen-Collaroy #SydneyStorm #erosion @DocHarleyMD @chrisleaman_ @_kvos @KDSplinter @UNSWEngineering pic.twitter.com/XG5nMMJVtd
— Raimundo Ibaceta (@IbacetaRaimundo) February 9, 2020
The sea foam looks decidedly unpleasant.

King tides, coastal inundation and regular garden-variety flooding are all predicted to occur with more frequency under global heating.
Updated
The Bureau of Meterology says the 391.6mm of rain that has fallen over Sydney in the past four days is the most since the 414.2mm fell between February 2 and 5 in 1990.
Before that it was 452.8mm over four days in August 1986, and 421.8mm over four days in November 1984.
Commuter chaos continues
Line up at Chatswood for replacement buses for the Metro service. Goes halfway up that road #chatswood #sydneystorms #sydneymetro #NSWFloods #nswtransport #SydneyStorm pic.twitter.com/HZeX25hiDd
— __Carolynn (@__Carolynn) February 9, 2020
Updated
More on that missing driver at Galston Gorge.
Galston: Police say they're responding to reports a car was swept off a causeway on Sallaway Road yesterday.
— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) February 9, 2020
A witness reported seeing a silver Mercedes being swept away between 4:30pm and 5pm. https://t.co/OF81oZFF1j #NSWfloods #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/2MNayUrQBs
NSW Police say the silver Mercedes was seen being swept away between 4.30pm and 5pm on Sallaway Road.
Police divers tried to look last night, but were not able to complete a full underwater search due to the conditions. Another operation will happen once conditions ease.
Updated
110,000 homes still without power across NSW
Ausgrid says there are still around 110,000 homes without power across Sydney, the Central Coast and parts of Newcastle, after power was restored for 30,000 homes yesterday.
Hunters Hill also had power restored this morning.
There are still fallen power lines, power poles and fallen trees to deal with in order to restore power, and Ausgrid says it could be a number of days before power is restored for everyone.
Updated
On the Orroral Valley fire in the ACT, emergency services there say the rainfall will not extinguish the fire, but the rain and cooler temperatures will help fire suppression efforts.
ORRORAL VALLEY FIRE - ADVICE - 9AM 10.02.2020 https://t.co/C2qR05v713 #update pic.twitter.com/K8pNMTC1Jl
— ACT ESA (@ACT_ESA) February 9, 2020
Local police advise that one lane is open north and south bound along the Hume Highway between Cabramatta and Lansvale. Heavy traffic in the area & as water subsides, further lanes will be open. Allow extra travel time.
— NSW Police Force (@nswpolice) February 9, 2020
Stanthorpe has a month’s worth of rain, but needs far more to stop water trucking
The Queensland town of Stanthorpe, which has had such little water in the drought that it had begun having water trucked in, had about a month’s worth of rain over the past few days.
Stanthorpe could get around 15mm of rain today, but according to AAP, Southern Downs mayor Tracy Dobie says the town would need six months’ worth of water to flow into the Storm King dam in order for the water trucking to stop.
Updated
Warragamba Dam levels surge to almost 62%
I am waiting to get data from Water NSW on what the massive amount of rain means for the state’s dam levels, but here’s an indication of just how much we think has filled Warragamba.
This is incredible. Yesterday the Warragamba Dam - the biggest in the Sydney area - was at 43.8%. This morning it's at 61.8%. 512,452 megalitres or 512,452,000,000 litres (I think) has flowed in. pic.twitter.com/B8MrWYPezx
— david munk (@davidmunk) February 9, 2020
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Commuter chaos, as they say.
Closure of #CentralCoastNewcastleLine has created a backlog of people waiting to commute at Central Station. pic.twitter.com/4tNjQVU1yl
— Amaani Siddeek (@AmaaniSiddeek) February 9, 2020
Some people are very excited to see this much rain.
Today Show viewer, Geoff, has kept his promise to go for a dip in his mankini, as rain finally fills their creek! Work it 🕺 #9Today pic.twitter.com/6uLnYqig7e
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) February 9, 2020
Here’s a snapshot of just how much rain has fallen in parts of New South Wales since 9am yesterday:
- Sydney, Observatory Hill – 176mm
- Sydney airport – 162mm
- Sydney Olympic Park – 191mm
- Badgerys Creek – 200mm
- Bankstown – 159mm
- Campbelltown – 172mm
- Holsworthy – 224mm
- Penrith – 112mm
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One of two plane trees on Victoria St Potts Pt, ripped from their bitumen sockets by heavy rain and winds #SydneyStorm pic.twitter.com/b7PxvHwDR0
— Margie Smithurst (@MargieSmithurst) February 9, 2020
Dozens of NSW schools closed
Dozens of schools are closed across New South Wales today as a safety measure in the wake of the floods and torrential rains, including over a dozen independent schools, and seven Catholic schools. You can find a list of the schools affected here.
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The things you find in floods... a car tyre, tree trunk, boogie board and a kayak all washed down the Coomera River.. watch out for debris if you’re going boating! @sunriseon7 pic.twitter.com/rgCoeD6shs
— Bianca Stone (@Bianca_Stone) February 9, 2020
Meanwhile in Victoria, there is a forecast for heavy rainfall in the East Gippsland district, including Mallacoota. It is hoped that this rainfall will put out fires still going in Gippsland.
Severe Weather Warning for HEAVY RAINFALL issued for people in parts of East Gippsland Forecast District.
— VicEmergency (@vicemergency) February 9, 2020
Locations which may be affected include Mallacoota, Cann River, Chandlers Creek and Combienbar.
More info https://t.co/do7sPENskR pic.twitter.com/fpjRKgtDj5
A big tree gone in Sydney CBD after a weekend of wild wild weather. @joshgnosis pic.twitter.com/l441eWI6Lu
— david munk (@davidmunk) February 9, 2020
There are currently 65 flood warnings for people driving around New South Wales today, according to Live Traffic.
Here’s a sample of the road closures today:
- Henry Lawson Dr between Padstow Heights and Milperra
- Great Western Hwy in St Marys between Pages Rd and Gipps Rd
- Hoxton Park Rd at Hoxton Park between First Ave and Lyn Pde
- Newbridge Rd in Chipping Norton between Governor Macquarie Dr and Henry Lawson Dr
- Heathcote Rd from Holsworthy to Lucas Heights
- Barrier Hwy 20km east of Cobar
- Hume Hwy between The Horsley Dr and Sappho Rd in Carramar
- Old Port Rd between Foreshore and Christy Dr in Port Kembla
As expected, there are major delays on the Western line and the North Shore line.
#WesternLine and #NorthShoreLine services are experiencing major delays due to severe weather conditions affecting network infrastructure at various locations.
— T1 Sydney Trains (@T1SydneyTrains) February 9, 2020
Please allow plenty of additional travel times.
Trains have change stops and there are service cancellations. pic.twitter.com/w8zNmaJUNX
Update from #Collaroy at first light this morning. Waves have dropped to 3.6m but swung more easterly. Next few hours are critical with spring tides at 10am #SydneyStorm pic.twitter.com/YomMkQ5iBW
— Mitchell Harley (@DocHarleyMD) February 9, 2020
Police search for driver of car washed off a causeway in Galston
NSW SES assistant commissioner Paul Bailey says there were 2,695 jobs they had to respond to overnight, bringing it up to 10,000 jobs since Friday.
He said there were 200 flood rescues, mainly caused by people driving into floodwaters.
“We see people continually trying to do that. We are really concerned that people continue to try, so we are really asking people to reconsider driving through any floodwaters,” he told ABC News Breakfast.
He said one car was washed off a causeway in Galston Gorge and the driver is yet to be found. Police divers are currently searching for the driver.
He said the rain should ease in Sydney over the next couple of hours to allow them to get on top of the jobs outstanding.
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A lot of people travelling in to work today will see a lot of the carnage the torrential rains and winds have brought across Sydney.
Here’s a sample.
One of many downed poles and trees in Sydney, this one just happens to be on my way to work #NSWFloods #SydneyStorm pic.twitter.com/Typ6LwnAYB
— Nancy Glenn (@NancGlenn) February 9, 2020
A good chunk of Burragorang Road, south west of Sydney, washed away overnight #NSWFloods pic.twitter.com/8RdLbUxMt0
— Gavin Coote (@GavinCoote) February 9, 2020
Only in Australia 🙄 pic.twitter.com/zfcdgQXUEk
— Amanda Rose (@TheAmandaRose) February 9, 2020
Police assistant commissioner Karen Webb was on Nine’s Today Show this morning and she said there’s been a few cases of people driving into flood waters and needing to be rescued, including a couple in their 80s, a 17-year-old boy, and a few fishermen.
She said it was taking away police resources that could be used elsewhere, and urged people to heed the warnings.
More than 10,000 calls for help have been answered as floods and record rain smashed the east coast. #9Today pic.twitter.com/XVk8pI3j3n
— The Today Show (@TheTodayShow) February 9, 2020
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Just a casual surf at the local oval. Surfs up! 🏄♂️ #sydneyweather #SydneyStorm #flooding #balgowah pic.twitter.com/agm3Tk5Pl7
— Stephanie Alexander (@stephcaroline91) February 9, 2020
Trains are going to be a major issue in Sydney this morning due to land slips.
Limited train services continue to run on the #NorthShoreLine in both directions due to a landslip at Artarmon.
— T1 Sydney Trains (@T1SydneyTrains) February 9, 2020
Major delays are being experienced. Please allow plenty of extra travel time.
Further updates to follow. pic.twitter.com/rQJMhsUqwE
Buses are replacing trains in the Blue Mountains between Springwood, Lithgow and Bathurst after a landslide at Leura.
The Southern Highlands rail line has been suspended until 9am this morning.
Good morning and welcome to Monday.
Flood conditions are expected to continue in New South Wales and parts of Queensland today, with thousands still without power, dozens of schools closed, and power out for over 100,000 homes.
A severe weather warning issued for the entire coast of NSW on Sunday remains in effect today.
Sydney, the Central Coast and the Blue Mountains were soaked by between 200 and 400mm of rain between Friday morning and Sunday afternoon.
It is the most amount of rainfall Sydney has experienced since around 1998, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
There is expected to be heavy rains, strong winds and damaging surf on the coast. Torrential rain could lead to flash flooding in parts of Sydney, Illawarra and the central tablelands.
The NSW state emergency service has ordered the evacuation of residents along the Hawkesbury and Georges rivers.
Authorities have advised residents in Sydney to stay home if they can, or keep an eye on public transport apps to check for any disruptions likely to occur because of the weather.
Up to 150,000 homes were without power across parts of Sydney, the Central Coast, Newcastle and the Hunter region as of Sunday night, after rain and wind brought down power poles.
NSW SES had responded to around 10,000 calls for help.
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