Sunday’s spring sunshine is expected to give way to rain and thunderstorms as a trough and associated low pressure system enter western NSW on Monday,before rolling eastwards on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The wild weather is set to coincide with the beginning of school holidays and the NSW State Emergency Service is urging families embarking on road trips to be vigilant for road closures and changing conditions.
Showers and storms are most likely in Sydney and flood-hit parts of northern NSW on Tuesday evening,with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting up to eight millimetres of rain.
An SES spokesperson warned that the rain could exacerbate flooding in the state’s inland river systems,which are already saturated following downpours last week.
“With catchments wet and many dams at capacity,waterways are very sensitive to rainfall,and further river rises and renewed flooding are likely for the inland catchments,” the spokesperson said.
“The SES will be liaising closely with the Bureau of Meteorology to determine the impact areas of the forecast weather.”
Besieged communities across western and southern NSW have been experiencing prolonged flooding over the past fortnight,with several minor to major flood warnings still in place.
Investigations are also continuing after the body of a five-year-old boy was discovered inside a submerged ute on Saturday,after it was swept into floodwaters at Tullamore in central western NSW.
In the 24 hours to 6am on Sunday,the SES received 112 calls for assistance and launched six flood rescues.
In the north-west NSW town of Gunnedah,the Namoi river peaked at 8.24 metres on Saturday morning and has been slowly receding since.
“As the water recedes SES personnel will be on the ground to conduct rapid impact assessments,” the SES spokesperson said.
The towns of Wee Waa and Warren,also in north-western NSW,are expected to remain isolated for several days.
“We are conducting numerous resupply operations to residents with essential stores such as water,food and medicines and have deployed aircraft and high clearance vehicles,” the SES spokesperson said.
Earlier this month, event was underway in the Pacific Ocean,which increases the chances of above-average rainfall in eastern and northern Australia during spring and summer.