Millions brace for wild weather as east coast low develops

Multiple flights have been cancelled in and out of Sydney Airport as heavy winds and rain from a storm compared to a "bomb cyclone" lash the New South Wales coast.

The coast of NSW from Coffs Harbour, through Sydney and all the way to Bega in the south is facing a fast-moving coastal low.

The Hunter and Mid North Coast, including Newcastle, were warned to expect damaging wind gusts of up to 120km/h from dawn today, followed by heavy rainfall likely leading to flash flooding in a system expected to make its way gradually south along the coast.

Wind gusts in Sydney are expected to reach 125km/hr, comparable to speeds felt in a tropical cyclone.

Airlines monitor for cancellations

9News has been told 12 Virgin flights and seven Qantas flights have been cancelled so far.

The flight path between Newcastle and Sydney has been most heavily affected.

Qantas earlier said it anticipated some cancellations out of Sydney and the airline is closely monitoring the weather situation.

Customers will be contacted if their flight is affected.

A Virgin Australia spokesperson said some services in Sydney and Newcastle had been affected by the weather.

"The safety of our guests and crew is our top priority, and our meteorologists continue to closely monitor the weather system," the spokesperson said.

"We regret the impact of this on guests' travel plans and are working hard to ensure they reach their destination safely and as soon as possible."

So far, Sydney Airport's flight tracker shows most arriving and departing flights this morning are on schedule, though there have been multiple cancellations.

Where the rain will fall

Jonathan How from the Bureau of Meteorology said rainfall was already building across Newcastle, Sydney, and Wollongong.

"We'll see that rain continuing through the day today, easing in Sydney later this afternoon and into the evening," he said.

"But the heaviest of the rain will be from Wollongong southwards all the way Merimbula. We could see upwards of 100, even 200mm of rainfall along that south coast over the next couple of days, and we could see that flooding."

He said winds would pick up in Sydney and Newcastle today, potentially bringing down trees and sending debris flying.

Winds were also expected to ramp up all the way through the Northern Tablelands to south-east Queensland, including Brisbane and Toowoomba.

"And then from tomorrow, that's when we'll see those waves getting really choppy.It will be quite dangerous on the beach with the possibility of coastal erosion," How said.

"So we are reminding everyone across eastern NSW and southeast Queensland to keep an eye on the warnings."

Volunteers ready to respond

NSW SES senior manager of state operations Dallas Burnes said there were about 1000 volunteers on the ground, and the service had responded to 600 incidents in the past 24 hours.

"We are really concerned about flash flooding, particularly around the commute home for people this afternoon, as we see those rainfall figures escalate throughout the day," Burnes said.

He said the recently saturated soils of the Mid North Coast could also make trees even more susceptible to falling in the face of strong wind gusts.

"People need to be aware of where they are, where they're parking, what's a possible danger to them, and if they can avoid travel, do so," he said.

"And of course, if the roadway is flooded, please do not go through those roads."

Drivers, commuters and boaters are urged to take care while travelling today and allow for extra travel time, disruptions, and delays as the weather intensifies.

"Our message to people who need to travel in those areas south of the low where wind, rain and storms will impact the greatest, including the Mid North Coast, Hunter, Central Coast, Sydney, the Illawarra and South Coast is to be prepared, stay informed and most importantly drive to the conditions," Transport for NSW coordinator-general Howard Collins said.

"Whether you're travelling by car or catching public transport please allow plenty of extra time to get to your destination. Don't drive, walk or cycle through flood waters, watch out for storm debris on the road, and if weather conditions become too severe, find a safe place to stop and wait until it passes."

NSW Maritime is advising boaters to stay ashore and avoid non-essential boating activity over the coming days.

A coastal hazard warning for damaging surf and gale to storm force south to southwesterly winds extends from the Mid North Coast to the South Coast.

"This is a very dynamic and fast-moving system, very different to the systems that we have seen in recent times," NSW SES Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz warned yesterday.

The most intense weather was expected to smash various parts of the the coast by this afternoon and into tomorrow morning.

About 50 to 120 millimetres of rainfall could drench the east, south and mid-north coast of NSW and some isolated showers could reach up to 200 millimetres.

"It'll bring widespread impacts. The position and the strength of the low will determine the duration and the severity of the impacts, which may persist into Thursday," the Bureau of Meteorology's Steve Bernasconi said.

He said it had become a "vigorous coastal low" and is complex and dynamic, meaning it is difficult to forecast just how severe the weather will be.

At 11pm yesterday, the bureau's updated severe weather warning forecasted possible six-hourly rainfall totals from 70 to 90 millimetres, with isolated totals up to 120 millimetres.

The NSW State Emergency Service prepares on Monday, June 30, 2025, for the east coast low hitting the state.

The NSW SES urged impacted residents to prepare for cyclonic conditions.

"We are prepared here, at SES," Platz said.

"But what we need is for you to be prepared. You out there in the community need to start preparing for this weather event."

Platz warned people to clean gutters, to move or tie down loose items like outdoor furniture and trampolines and to move cars away from large trees.

Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan said flash flooding and storm damage were the key risks.

"Communities along the coast should start preparing now by securing loose items around their home and learning about their flood risk before the worst impacts occur," she said.

"While we are expecting minor riverine flooding, we know significant flash flooding is a risk and can occur quickly and without much warning, so we want communities to know their risk, and understand the dangers of driving through floodwaters.

"If you do come across a flooded road, you should stop, turn around and find an alternative route."

The Bureau of Meteorology issued hazardous wind and surf warnings for the NSW coast.

Sydney is bracing for days of wild, wet weather as an east coast low bears down on NSW.

An initial flood watch warning was in place for the Hawkesbury-Nepean, Georges, Cooks, Sydney Coast, and Illawarra Coast catchments.

The developing system has been dubbed a potential "bomb cyclone" - a rapidly forming system that goes from non-existence to threatening in just days.

It could also be the first east coast low to hit Sydney since 2022.

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