Source : Perth Now news
Wild weather sweeping across eastern parts of Australia could wreak havoc on the opening State of Origin match in Sydney on Wednesday night.
Showers and thunderstorms have already struck NSW, Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia and are expected to become more widespread over the coming days.
There is a high chance of showers and the chance of a thunderstorm late in the afternoon and evening in Sydney on Wednesday.
Almost 90mm of rain has been recorded in southern NSW, with plenty more on the way.
Meteorologist Ilana Cherny said a low pressure system and moisture from the tropics had enhanced the “instability of rainfall” through eastern Australia.
“These weather systems will bring widespread rainfall and thunderstorms to much of eastern and southern Australia, with some of the heaviest falls expected through southern and central Queensland, northern and coastal NSW, and eastern Tasmania,” she said.
The central west and southern parts of NSW and the ACT have recorded the highest rainfalls in the past 24 hours, with 88mm recorded in some locations.
A severe weather warning is in place for Tasmania, with 30 to 50mm of rain expected to fall in the northeast parts of the state over a six-hour period on Wednesday.
“We could see some localised daily falls up to 80mm, that heaviest rainfall is set to clear by this evening,” Ms Cherny said.
A flood watch is also in place for the Hunter and Mid North Coast in NSW as well as the inland rivers in South Australia.
“Severe thunderstorms with heavy rainfall are possible through quite a large area, and damaging winds and large hail are also possible through southern Queensland,” Ms Cherny said.
“With these storms flash flooding is a risk, particularly with slow-moving storms, which can drop large amounts of rainfall.”
