Wind warnings blow across into NSW
Written by admin on August 26, 2024
NSW is being warned to batten down the hatches as the wild winds that swept Victoria head east.
Parts of the Illawarra, south coast, Goulburn and Katoomba can expect damaging wind gusts in excess of 90km/h until Monday afternoon.
Nowra, Bowral, Braidwood, Goulburn and Selwyn could also get a lashing.
On the mountains, average winds stronger than 80km/h with gusts up to 125km/h are expected above 1900m.
Just before 8pm on Sunday, wind gusts at Thredbo hit 128km/h.
The State Emergency Service is telling people to move vehicles under cover or away from trees, secure loose items around the house, keep away from fallen power lines, and be aware that bushfires may have changed the landscape around you, including weakening trees.
The Victorian SES received 422 calls for help from 9am to 9pm on Sunday, as the weather system swept through.
Just more than half of those calls were for help with fallen trees, and 123 calls were for building damage.
Hailstones bigger than golf balls, some close to tennis ball size, fell around Bendigo in central Victoria.
Sky News meteorologist Rob Sharpe said the strongest winds recorded on Sunday were gusts up to 102km/h at Falls Creek.
Lightning swept across Victoria to Canberra on Sunday night and then dissipated by 2am on Monday, he said.
“It’s all eased back this morning, there’s barely any wet weather across the country,” Mr Sharpe.
A few showers were set to persist in western Tasmania, which was in for a wet week, he said.
There are, however, wind warnings for the Southern Alps and southern ranges. Mr Sharpe said those warnings would calm down by Monday afternoon.
“I’m expecting many more wind warnings this week particularly across Tasmania and the Victorian alpine terrain,” he said
Conditions were warm across the country during the weekend.
“It very much feels like spring is already here,” Mr Sharpe said.
