Sydney deluge and flash floods labelled rare 500-year event

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Sydney is in for more rain today, but the worst of the weekend downpour has passed.

Heavy falls that soaked the city and surrounds are easing after intense bursts of rain over the weekend. Some areas on the Northern Beaches and Central Coast recorded between 80mm and 140mm in just a few hours.

Weather experts say those totals were similar to tropical monsoon rain and are considered extremely rare.

Flash flooding hit parts of Sydney, and flood warnings remain in place. This includes the Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers in the city’s west.

The wild weather was driven by warm, moisture-laden winds from the Tasman Sea feeding into a coastal weather system. More than 19,000 lightning strikes were detected near Sydney since late Friday, mainly across the north and Central Coast.

That system is now moving offshore. Showers are still expected today, but conditions should gradually improve.

The rest of the week looks mostly dry, with a chance of heavier rain returning on Friday.

Meanwhile, a severe weather warning remains active for Norfolk Island, where very heavy rain is forecast.

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