A Severe Weather Warning for damaging winds and a Hazardous Surf Warning is in place for parts of Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains, Australian Capital Territory and South West Slopes Forecast Districts.
Vigorous westerly winds developing for parts of the southeast, with blizzard conditions likely for the alpine region.
A complex low pressure system currently lies to the east of Tasmania. This low is forecast to track towards the Bass Strait during the day today, with a series of associated troughs crossing NSW, resulting in strengthening westerly winds.
For the NSW & ACT ALPINE REGION: DAMAGING WINDS, averaging 60 to 70 km/h with peak gusts of around 90 km/h are possible above 1500 metres from this afternoon, easing early Tuesday morning.
DAMAGING WINDS averaging 80 to 90 km/h with peak gusts of around 115 km/h are likely over 1900 metres from this afternoon, easing early Tuesday morning.
BLIZZARD conditions are forecast for parts of the Snowy Mountains district above 1500 metres from this afternoon, easing early Tuesday morning.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service recommends that back country travel be postponed until conditions improve.
Locations which may be affected include Wollongong, Nowra, Braidwood, Bega, Katoomba and Thredbo Top Station.
The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
- Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
- Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.
- Keep at least 8 metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
- Trees that have been damaged by fire are likely to be more unstable and more likely to fall.
- Report fallen power lines to either Ausgrid (131 388), Endeavour Energy (131 003), Essential Energy (132 080) or Evoenergy (131 093) as shown on your power bill.
- Stay vigilant and monitor conditions. Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires.
- For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.
The next Severe Weather Warning will be issued by 5:00 pm AEST Monday.
Meantime, Rock fishing and rock platform related deaths last year were nearly 30% higher than the year before (13, up from 10).
The Hazardous Surf Warning from the weekend remains in place today along the Illawara, Batemans and the Eden Coast and will be updated at 5pm.
With hazardous weather conditions forecast to continue to impact parts of southern NSW over the coming days, Surf Life Saving NSW is urging the public to exercise caution when visiting the coastline.
It comes after a series of rock platform related coastal drownings in recent times, shining a light on the dangers of rock fishing in particular.
Just over a week ago two rock fishers were swept off the rocks at Little Bay while over a two week stretch between the end of May and mid-June saw two separate incidents at Kurnell result in four fatalities of people on rock shelves being washed into the ocean.
After a weekend of strong swell across the state, the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting that hazardous surf conditions are likely to continue today (15 July) along the southern half of the coast from Sunday, extending from the Hunter region down to the Victorian boarder.
With school holidays still in effect in NSW, there may be more visitors to our coastline and conditions will be hazardous for coastal activities such as rock fishing, boating, surfing and swimming. People should consider staying out of the water.
Rock fishers should avoid coastal rock platforms exposed to the ocean, and those who may be whale watching or walking along the rocks are encouraged to do so from a safe vantage point.
SLSNSW Director of Lifesaving Joel Wiseman is urging the public to exercise caution if they are visiting the coast.
“We really want to emphasise, particularly after the incidents we have seen over the past few months, than these conditions can be quite dangerous for rock fishing, boating, surfing and swimming,” he said.
“Our resources are actively patrolling and Support Operations Teams from the Hunter to the Far South Coast are in operation, but if you take are planning on taking a risk, we strongly urge you to check BeachSafe and understand your limitations.”
Images: James Fennessy, East Coast Radio, BOM
