Sydney recorded one of its wettest September days in more than a century, following a weather system that brought widespread disruption across parts of New South Wales. Heavy downpours were measured at official stations across the city, while surrounding regions faced thunderstorms, hail, and strong winds.
According to Sky News, the system produced significant totals that placed this week among the most intense spring events observed in the state. The conditions have since eased, and meteorologists report that the atmosphere is stabilizing, with forecasts now pointing to a clear and relatively mild weekend ahead.
Record-Setting Rainfall Across New South Wales
Between Wednesday and Thursday morning, 121 millimeters of rainfall was recorded at Observatory Hill, marking Sydney’s wettest September day since 1879. The intense rainfall was part of a broader system that delivered nearly two months’ worth of rain between Ulladulla and Sydney.
The wild weather also brought thunderstorms, hail, strong winds, and a tornado observed northwest of Young.
Meteorologist Alison Osbourne of Sky News described the change in conditions as “quite a shift following a very dramatic 24 hours.” She explained that the easing rain came as a deep low-pressure system moved away from the coast, adding:
But it was a slow-moving, stubborn system resulting in two months’ worth of rain falling between Ulladulla and Sydney.
Sunny Forecast for Sydney and Newcastle
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has forecast mostly sunny conditions for Sydney from Friday through Sunday. Friday is expected to be mostly sunny with light winds, before the weekend brings a high of 23 degrees Celsius on Sunday under clear skies.
Newcastle is also set for bright conditions, with both Saturday and Sunday expected to remain mostly sunny.
Ongoing Coastal Warnings
Despite the easing weather, warnings remain in place. A hazardous surf warning issued for much of the New South Wales coast will continue into Friday, particularly for the Macquarie and Hunter coastal regions. The BOM has also extended strong wind warnings for the Byron and Illawarra coasts.
Mixed Outlook Across Australia
While Sydney and Newcastle are set for a calm weekend, forecasts differ in other parts of the country.
- Perth is expected to move from Thursday’s sunshine to a very high chance of showers on both Saturday and Sunday, despite a warm and mostly sunny Friday with a maximum of 26 degrees.
- Melbourne will likely see a shower or two on Friday, followed by a mostly dry weekend, though there remains a slight chance of a shower on Saturday.
- Brisbane faces a medium chance of showers on Saturday, with Sunday shaping up as partly cloudy and only a slight chance of a shower.
A Return to Stability After Extremes
After an extraordinary rainfall event that saturated New South Wales and disrupted Sydney, the state is set to return to more stable conditions. For residents in Sydney and Newcastle, the weekend brings an opportunity to enjoy sunshine and calm weather, contrasting sharply with the rainfall and severe storms that marked the mid-week period.
