Millions brace for storms, heavy rain across NSW, Queensland

Detailed summary

Millions of Australians are set to be drenched as a band of showers and storms smashes swathes of the east coast.

Millions of Australians are set to be drenched as a band of showers and storms smashes swathes of southeast Queensland and NSW.

A severe thunderstorm warning was in-place on Friday night for much of northern Sydney, stretching up through Cessnook and the Hunter Region into Maitland.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned the storm would likely hit about 6.30pm on Friday, with damaging winds, large hailstones, and heavy rainfall that could lead to flash flooding detected near Tocal and Bolwarra in the lower Hunter.

“It is forecast to affect Morpeth and Wallalong by 6:40pm and Seaham and Nelsons Plains (northwest of Raymond Terrace) by 6:55pm.”

A separate warning was in-place for severe storms on Friday afternoon at Kempsey on the Mid-North Coast, as well as much of southeast Queensland, from Goondiwindi on the NSW border to Chinchita and Miles.

It comes after a supercell ripped through southeast Queensland in recent days, leaving more than 70,000 homes temporarily without power.

Senior meteorologist Dean Narramore told the ABC said the weather was the result of a “lingering” trough system, and that flooding was “likely” at already oversaturated catchments.

“Flash flooding is likely with some of these heavier storms where they do occur,” he said.

“And we could see more broad scale flooding, particularly in parts of Queensland, depending on exactly where all these heavy rain and storms occur.”

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