WEATHER: ECL TO FORM OVERNIGHT

PHOTO: Thanks to Cindy and Chris Hippe taken in Bungwahl.

In between Port Macqaurie and Newcastle heavy rain fell overnight producing up to 215mm around Bulahdelah causing extensive flooding. All of the rain so far has been due to the monsoon trough moving slowly over eastern Australia.

This afternoon the upper level cold pool began to move in across the NW Plains of NSW where severe thunderstorms fired up producing heavy down pours and localised flash flooding near Narrabri and Moree. Tonight the upper level feature will continue to move east across the region causing more storms before linking up with the surface trough. It is then that the east coast low will form. It looks like it will develop near Seal Rocks so the same region that received the heavy rain last night may be hit again. Port Stephens, Newcastle and the Central Coast are on the southern side of the low’s centre so these areas will also be hit with strong winds, big seas and more heavy periods of rain. This rain will run along the mountain slopes of the Barringtons north of the Hunter Valley so the Williams, Myall, Karuah and Paterson Rivers may flood. The low should move away quickly with conditions easing on Thursday.