- Sydney is bracing for a severe storm which will bring winds and hail
- The hottest temperatures of the year were recorded earlier in the day
Commuters are rushing home in one of Australia’s major cities with ominous clouds threatening a severe thunderstorm on the way for Tuesday evening.
Sydneysiders need to brace themselves for ‘a possibly severe’ thunderstorm with large hail and possible heavy falls about the western suburbs, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).
BoM also forecasts likely ‘damaging winds’ in the afternoon and evening which began with rains at 3.30pm.
The sudden change in temperatures comes after Sydney recorded its hottest day of the year so far.
Sydney Airport recorded peak temperatures of 40.7C at 1pm which had dropped to just 23.9C by 4pm.
Western suburbs including Penrith, Bankstown and Badgerys Creek also passed 40C before temperatures plummeted by more than 10C in less than 20 minutes.
Severe thunderstorm warnings are now in place and the BoM has warned parts of Sydney may experience flash flooding.
Sydneysiders are bracing for a predicted extreme thunderstorm
Temperatures peaked above 40C in parts of the city before rainfall began in Bondi and Manly around 3.30pm
The BoM issued a severe weather warning of damaging winds for people living in the Metropolitan and Hunter Forecast Districts of NSW.
‘A vigorous southerly wind change is moving northwards along the coast, through Sydney and the Central Coast. Winds are expected to ease during this evening,’ it wrote.
‘Damaging winds averaging 60 to 70 km/h with peak gusts in excess of 90 km/h are likely along parts of the Sydney and Hunter coasts, including the Sydney enclosed waters, as the southerly change moves through over the next few hours.
‘Winds are expected to weaken below warning thresholds during the evening.’
The thunderstorm started rolling over parts of Bondi and Manly moving east to northeast which made its way to the CBD within 30 minutes by 4pm.
Residents have been advised to move their cars under cover to avoid the golf-ball sized hail and to not park them near any trees which might break apart in the winds.
Items should be tied down or stored away to prevent them from travelling during the storm and the BoM has warned that creeks and storm drains have the potential of flooding.
Fallen power lines should be reported to Ausgrid, Endeavour Energy, Essential Energy or Evoenergy.
The storm began hitting parts of the city by 3.30pm and is set to travel east to northeast
