‘Blue sky lightning’: new storm risk after swimmer hit

Detailed summary

Severe thunderstorms are lashing Australia's east coast while a swimmer remains in a critical condition after being struck by lightning.

A man remains in a critical condition after being struck by lightning as Australia's east coast prepares to be hit with more wild weather.

Severe thunderstorms bringing giant hail and destructive winds are set to lash central and northeastern NSW as well as southern and central parts of Queensland.

Senior meteorologist Sarah Scully said large parts of both states could experience supercell storms bringing dangerous thunderstorms, destructive winds and large hail.

"Impacts with these high-end thunderstorms include the potential for damage to homes and to cars, with the large to giant-sized hail," Ms Scully said in a Bureau of Meteorology update on Sunday afternoon.

"Destructive winds are possible to bring down trees and power lines, cause power outages and create really hazardous driving conditions.

"While the rainfall, heavy to locally intense rainfall, that could lead to life-threatening flash flooding."

The volatile weather has already claimed one victim after a man was struck by lightning while swimming on the NSW Central Coast on Saturday.

The man was pulled to shore at Ettalong Beach before being taken to hospital by ambulance where he remains in a critical but stable condition.

Ms Scully said despite the clear and sunny conditions at the time, a storm kilometres away from the beach likely produced a lightning strike that travelled up to 30km from the thunderstorm itself.

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