Severe weather events in Sydney

Last updated

Bushfire smoke following the Black Summer bushfires in December 2019 Bushfire smoke over the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge in December 2019.jpg
Bushfire smoke following the Black Summer bushfires in December 2019

Severe weather events or extreme weather events in Sydney, Australia, include hailstorms, thunderstorms, gale, bushfires, heatwaves, drought, and flash flooding (caused by East coast lows or black nor'easters). Sydney is rarely affected by cyclones, although remnants of cyclones do affect the city. [1]

Contents

Global warming has increased the chances of extreme rain and flash floods in Sydney recently. [2] [3] Destructive heavy rainfall events have been recorded occurring in the Sydney area since records began in the 18th century. [4] [2] [ failed verification ]

Annually, coastal Sydney sees five heat-related deaths per 100,000 people while the western suburbs see 14 per 100,000. [5] Heat-related deaths in the city were common in the late 19th and early 20th century period (due to lack of air conditioners) where several individual cases were reported. [6] [7] [8] [9]

Temperatures

1800s

1900s

Persistently hot, dry conditions enforce water restrictions in the city. Bushfires smoke in Sydney Olympic Park (49240927768).jpg
Persistently hot, dry conditions enforce water restrictions in the city.

2010s

The day after, Sydney's greater west got affected more harshly, with Camden Airport hitting 45.6 °C (114.1 °F) (The previous record being 43.2 °C (109.8 °F) in 1980}}, Penrith hitting 46.9 °C (116.4 °F) (tipping its previous February record of 45.0 °C (113.0 °F) in 2004), and Richmond hitting 47.0 °C (116.6 °F) (shattering its previous record in 2004 by 4C).

Car thermometer displaying a reading of 46degC on 7 January 2018 Sydney heat.jpg
Car thermometer displaying a reading of 46°C on 7 January 2018

2020s

Bushfires and drought

Sydney CBD during the 2009 Australian dust storm Dust Storm - Sydney (15220403491).jpg
Sydney CBD during the 2009 Australian dust storm
Sydney skyline in bushfire haze, October 2013 View of Sydney skyline during bushfires (October 17, 2013) (10325799066).jpg
Sydney skyline in bushfire haze, October 2013

Rainstorms and windstorms

18th–19th century

20th century

1910s–1930s

A flooded street in Alexandria after a rainstorm (September 1934) SLNSW 42421 A flooded street in Alexandria South Sydney.jpg
A flooded street in Alexandria after a rainstorm (September 1934)
  • On 26 November 1912, a powerful hail and thunderstorm passed over Sydney, where 12.7 mm (0.50 in) of rain fell in 10 minutes flooding streets, in addition to a lightning killing one labourer at a tramway construction site. [80]
  • On 24 March 1914, Parramatta was flooded after 88.9 mm (3.50 in) of rain fell in just two hours. Parramatta railway station, businesses in Church Street and houses were partially submerged, and the Parramatta River was overflowed. [81]
  • On 25 November 1914, a severe thunderstorm which was likely accompanying a tornado, hit Sydney's northern and harbour-side suburbs, and destructed through a line of shopfronts near Lindfield railway station. [82]
  • On 6 October 1916, an east coast low brought 120.1 mm (4.73 in) of rain in 24 hours, flooding roads, overflowing rivers and damaging vegetable gardens. [83]
  • On 25 October 1919, a powerful hailstorm caused severe damage to buildings when it blocked gutters and drains, thus allowing rainwater to overspill into ceilings and basements. [82]
  • On 6 July 1931, Sydney was whipped by cyclonic winds and heavy rainfall, where it received 198.1 mm (7.80 in) of rain in 24 hours. In addition to thousands of pounds worth of damage to property, which included roofs and electricity, five deaths were recorded. [84]
  • On 25 January 1937, a tornado tore through the suburbs of Marrickville, Mascot, Botany and Matraville, where five people died and dozens were injured in falling buildings. [82]

1940s–1960s

The 8 cm (3.1in) hailstones hitting the water at Rose Bay during the 1947 hailstorm 1947 Sydney hailstorm boat.jpg
The 8 cm (3.1in) hailstones hitting the water at Rose Bay during the 1947 hailstorm
  • On 31 October 1940, a tornado created a 19 km (12 mi) path of damage, where it tore through thousands of homes, killing two people. A gust of 153 km/h was recorded. [82]
  • In the 1947 Sydney hailstorm, which occurred on 1 January 1947, a storm cell developed on the morning of New Year's Day, over the Blue Mountains, hitting the city and dissipating east of Bondi in the mid-afternoon. At the time, it was the most severe storm to strike the city since recorded observations began in 1792. The high humidity, temperatures and weather patterns of Sydney increased the strength of the storm. The cost of damages from the storm were, at the time, approximately GB£750,000 (US$3 million); this is the equivalent of around A$45 million in modern figures. The supercell dropped hailstones larger than 8 centimetres (3.1 in) in diameter, with the most significant damage occurring in the central business district and eastern suburbs of Sydney. [85]
  • On 15 June 1949, 94.1 mm (3.70 in) of rain fell in just one hour, the highest at that time since the records began. Flash flooding swamped businesses, shopfronts and homes. [86]
  • In June 1950, a series of east coast cyclones develop off the New South Wales coast during which Sydney registered its highest monthly rainfall on record, 642.7 mm (25.3 in). [87] [88]
  • On 26 July 1952, Sydney CBD received 203.2 mm (8.00 in) of rain and cyclonic winds caused local floods, two landslides in the north, traffic delays and as well as a death of a man. [89]
  • On 10 February 1956, heavy rain caused the Georges River to overflow, which led to five deaths, flooding 1,000 homes and leading to the evacuation of 8,000 people. Homes in Bankstown, Panania, East Hills, Milperra, Moorebank and the surrounds were submerged. Stranded residents were rescued by the police, the army and by civilians in row boats. [82]
  • On 9 July 1957, a tornado squall occurred at Warriewood and Narrabeen on the Northern Beaches that blew off house roofs and caused more than £40,000 ($80,000) worth of damage. [82]
  • On 23 November 1961, Penrith was flooded, with many properties and businesses being destroyed, after receiving half its annual average rainfall in just two days. [90] The Nepean River reached a height of 9.7 m (31.82 ft) after the area received 546 mm (21.5 in) of rain in two days. [91]

1970s–1990s

  • On 24 April 1974, the western suburbs endured severe flash flooding that resulted in $20 million worth of damage and one death, as a consequence of 200 mm (7.87 in) of rain falling in three days. [82]
  • On 10 March 1975, Sydney airport received 174.7 mm (6.88 in) of rainfall in six hours, in addition to flash flooding which caused more than $15 m worth of damage. [82]
  • On 10 November 1976, intense thunderstorms caused severe damage in around Lidcombe and Auburn, with tennis-ball size (6 cm) hail and violent winds that injured 10 people. Damage costs were $40 million. [82]
  • On 10–11 February 1978, a tornado tore through many homes in the Lower North Shore, injuring eight people. The damage cost was $15 million. [82]
  • Between 19 and 24 March 1978, after an intense low pressure cell developed on the Coral Sea, travelling southwards, heavy rainfall occurred in the east coast which overflowed the Hawkesbury River, thereby flooding nearby homes and damaging roads. Several weather stations in the Sydney metropolitan area reported daily rainfall totals in excess of 250 mm (9.84 in). [92]
  • On 8 November 1984, Sydney CBD saw 235 mm (9.25 in) of rain with 120.3 mm (4.74 in) falling at Observatory Hill in just one hour. Causing damage to homes in the Sydney Harbour and burying vehicles in mud, the storm was caused by a coastal trough with very high humidity values which in turn spawned very slow moving thunderstorms. [93] The cost of damages from the storm were, at the time, $80 million. [94]
  • On 6 August 1986, a record 327.6 mm (12.90 in) of rainfall was dumped on the city in 24 hours, causing severe floods, major traffic problems and damage in many parts of the metropolitan area. [95]
  • On 3 October 1986, ten people were injured and hundreds of homes were damaged after a hail up to 6 cm size hit the western suburbs. The total damage bill was $161 million. [93]
A lightning storm over Potts Point in 1991 Thunderstorm in sydney 2000x1500.png
A lightning storm over Potts Point in 1991
  • On 3 February 1990, Sydney CBD received its record 24 hour February rainfall at 243.6 mm (9.59 in), when ex-tropical cyclone Nancy was centred on Brisbane. [96]
  • On 18 March 1990, in around Auburn and Bankstown, large hail up to 8 cm diameter with strong winds and flash flooding caused $550 million worth of damage, where more than 2000 houses had window and roof damage. [97]
  • On 21 January 1991, the Northern Sydney area (Turramurra, Pymble and the surrounds) received hail 7 cm in size with winds up to 230 km/h, and as well as 60 mm (2.36 in) of rain in 30 minutes. With a damage cost of $670 million, the storm event damaged over 7000 houses from felled trees and floods. [97]
  • On 12 February 1992, in the western and northern suburbs, a storm caused $335 million worth of damage after rain, large hail and flash flooding battered over 500 houses. [97]
  • On 20 November 1994, a severe storm caused $29 million worth of damage in the Sydney region, namely in the north, where many trees were felled and houses wrecked. [82]
  • In the early hours of 30 August 1996, an east coast low ravaged Sydney, bringing destructive winds that damaged properties and heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding and road blockage. Turramurra received 160 mm (6.30 in) of rainfall in 24 hours, Epping at 143 mm (5.63 in) and the CBD at 127 mm (5.00 in). Wind gusts up to 160 km/h were recorded. Insurance payouts due to the storm were estimated to be up to $50 million. [98] [99]
  • On 7–8 August 1998, parts of Sydney and the Illawarra region received in excess of 300 mm (12 in) of rain over four days. [74]
The aftermath of the 1999 hailstorm on a suburban Sydney street 1999 Sydney hailstorm cardamage.jpg
The aftermath of the 1999 hailstorm on a suburban Sydney street
  • The 14 April 1999 hailstorm was a notable storm event in Sydney, which caused severe damage in many suburbs and killed one man when his boat was struck by lightning. The storm produced hailstones of up to 9 cm (3.5 in) in diameter and resulted in insurance losses of around A$1.7 billion in less than five hours. [100]

21st century

2000s–2010s

  • On 3 December 2001, the state of New South Wales recorded a wind gust of 174 km/h during a freak thunderstorm in Richmond. In addition, two schoolchildren were killed after a tree fell on their tent in the northern suburbs. [82]
  • On 8 January 2003, a powerful southerly buster brought a maximum wind gust of 109 km/h, as well as a lightning storm with small hail that caused blackouts in over 70 suburbs. [82]
  • Between 1 and 2 February 2005, a powerful East Coast Low caused flash flooding in Sydney with reports of 6 cm size hail, in addition to roofs being blown off in Gladesville. [82]
  • A major storm in early June 2007 brought over 500 mm (19.69 in) of rainfall in 5 days in the Sydney CBD and the eastern suburbs. [101] [102]
  • On 9 December 2007, a powerful thunderstorm affected western Sydney with hail 7 cm in diameter. The State Emergency Service received over 6000 calls for assistance and the damage bill was $201 million. [82]
  • In February 2010, Sydney received some of the highest rainfalls in 25 years with 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain falling in one night at Observatory Hill. In the first weeks of the month, some suburbs were hit by thunderstorms which brought heavy rain and gusty winds which cut out power and damaged homes. [103] [104] [105] The heavy rain was caused by remnants of ex-tropical Cyclone Olga and humid north-easterly winds feeding into the low pressure trough. [106] [107]
  • In 2011, Sydney recorded its wettest July since 1950. The CBD recorded 244 mm (9.61 in) of rain that month. 2011 was also the wettest year since records began in 1858. [108]
  • On 18 November 2013, an EF1 tornado hit Hornsby, a suburb in the Upper North Shore, where winds reached 140 kilometres per hour (87 mph). [109] The tornado's path was 2 km (1.2 mi) long and 50 m (160 ft) wide. [110] [111] Blowing off roofs and toppling large trees, the tornado injured a total of 12 people. [109]
  • On 15 October 2014, a rainstorm described as a "once-in-a-decade event" hit the Sydney region. Parts of Sydney received the heaviest amount of rain in a span of hours in decades. 94 mm (3.70 in) of rain fell in Strathfield in just over three hours. The winds were cyclonic in nature, with Sydney Airport having over 107 km/h (66 mph) gusts, reaching Category 1 strength. This event happened due to the formation of an east coast low, which ignited several other low pressure systems. [112]
More than 50cm of hail was dumped on 25 April 2015, turning streets into snow fields (Pagewood). Sydneyhail.jpg
More than 50cm of hail was dumped on 25 April 2015, turning streets into snow fields (Pagewood).
  • On 20 April 2015, Sydney recorded 119.4 mm (4.70 in) of rainfall, the most in any day since February 2002. Winds were "cyclonic" in nature, reaching 135 km/h (84 mph). Killing three people, this east coast low was formed with "a really pronounced upper level trough of cold air that had moved in from Victoria", Mr Sharpe said. [114] The maximum temperature was only 15.4 °C (60 °F), making it the coldest April day since 1983, according to BOM. [115]
  • On 16 December 2015, a tornado with a windspeed of 213 km/h tore along Sydney's southern coast, where it ripped off roofs, destroyed homes and overturned trucks. Kurnell and Bondi Junction were the most hard hit. [116]
  • On 5 June 2016, an east coast low brought heavy rainfall that passed the average total June rainfall of 132 mm (5.20 in). The deluge led to flash floods across the city and caused coastal erosion, in addition to five deaths being reported. Bankstown received its highest daily rainfall in 15 years, with 141 mm (5.55 in) of rain within the 24 hours. Meanwhile, Pennant Hills, Sydney Airport and Prospect Reservoir experienced their wettest June day since 1991. [117]
  • On 28 November 2018, a number of suburbs in the Sydney CBD recorded over 100 mm (3.94 in) of rainfall in just two hours from thunderstorms that formed due to an intense low pressure system, which came from the west, in what's been the city's wettest November day since 1984. [118] The heavy deluge caused flash flooding, submerging cars in the suburb of Redfern, alongside wind gusts that peaked over 90 km/h, which brought down trees and also contributed to the deaths of two people. [119] In Mosman on the North Shore 111 mm (4.37 in) of rain fell by 9am, making it the wettest spot in Sydney that day. [120]
  • On 9 January 2019, Sydney was hit by a lightning storm that was "one of the biggest in recent years", where several houses were struck. Blacktown was the worst affected by the lightning storm, with over 20 homes reporting roof damage. [121]
  • On 8 February 2019, intense thunderstorms, lightning and heavy rain caused significant damage to buildings, severe road flooding, which left 45,000 homes across Sydney without power. About 50 mm (1.97 in) fell in some inland suburbs in a span of just 30 minutes. Such heavy rainfall in a short period of time is expected once every ten years in the metropolitan area. [122]

2020s–present

  • Between 7 and 9 February 2020, the Sydney metropolitan area received its heaviest rain in 30 years. The storm brought vast flooding and strong winds that caused commuter chaos and left over 100,000 homes without power. [123] The city recorded around 391.6 mm (15.42 in) of rain within those three days, more than three times the average rainfall for February. Thousands of people living in depressed areas, such as those in Narrabeen and southwest of Sydney near Georges River, were told to evacuate due to billowing floodwaters and rising river levels. At least 200 people were rescued by emergency services during the stormy weekend. Warragamba Dam, which was only at 42% in capacity, reached as close to 70% after the deluge. [124] [125] The last time more than 300 mm (11.81 in) of rain fell in two days in the city was in 1992, in addition to being the wettest four-day period since 1990. [126]
  • In the late evening of 18 February 2020, over 60,000 lightning strikes hit the Sydney area, [127] with wind gusts over 100 km/h (62 mph) being recorded in some Sydney suburbs. In addition to a man being killed by a flying gas cylinder in The Rocks, the storm toppled trees, damaged properties and left tens of thousands of homes without power. [128]
Floodwaters swamp a picnic area in Penrith during the March 2021 New South Wales floods. 2021 floods.jpg
Floodwaters swamp a picnic area in Penrith during the March 2021 New South Wales floods.
  • Between 17 and 23 March 2021, many parts of Sydney received heavy rainfall in a storm that was described as "dangerous and threatening" by the Bureau of Meteorology, killing two people in the metropolitan area. [129] [130] 330.5 mm (13.01 in) and 359.2 mm (14.14 in) of rain fell in Sydney CBD and Penrith, respectively, in a span of six days, which led to mass floods. [131] In Chester Hill, a tornado damaged homes and toppled trees, leaving thousands without electricity. [132] Parramatta received enough rain to flood the site of the new Parramatta Powerhouse and as well as the Parramatta ferry wharf, which was overflowed after Parramatta River broke its banks. [133] Moreover, the Warragamba Dam began to spill, which was the first significant overflow of the reservoir since 1990. [134] Because of rising floodwaters, Nepean River and Hawkesbury River were overflowed, with areas in the suburbs nearby such as Richmond, Windsor and Penrith being evacuated. [135] The BOM had confirmed that flooding from Hawkesbury River was higher than a similar major flooding event in November 1961. [136]
  • On 19 December 2021, a storm with extreme winds of 130 km/h quickly swept across multiple suburbs in the Northern Beaches area. [137] [138] The storm caused a large amount of damage to property and powerlines, mostly due to trees toppling over from the wind, around 36,000 homes were left without power. [139] In Narrabeen, three people were struck by a tree in a parking lot, causing the death of one woman and leaving two others critically injured. [140] Volunteers from NSW SES worked alongside Fire and Rescue New South Wales and New South Wales Rural Fire Service to cleanup the damage left behind by the storm. [141]
  • On 22 February 2022, a month's worth of rain fell in less than a few hours in parts of the Sydney metropolitan area, which submerged streets and businesses, damaged road pavements and felled trees, in addition to flooding the Parramatta River and the nearby Powerhouse Museum site. Many suburbs recorded rainfall up to 100mm in the day, with 110mm falling in Marrickville (98mm of it in just two hours). [142] The 30-hour rainy event made Sydney have its wettest summer in 30 years (or since 1991/92). [143]
  • On 3–8 March 2022, thousands of people in parts of western Sydney were told to evacuate as the Hawkesbury River, Nepean River and Georges rivers began to rise after 174mm of rain fell over in Warragamba in less than 24 hours on the 3rd. There was major flooding in North Richmond and Windsor as the rising river waters submerged many parts of these rural suburbs. [144] On the 8th, a heavy deluge inundated streets in parts of southwestern Sydney and far western Sydney, killing two people in a car. Areas near the Georges River and Manly Dam were placed under an evacuation order by the State Emergency Service as floodwaters began to rise that day. [145] On this day, Mona Vale recorded 72 mm (2.83 in) in just two hours and Mosman received 128 mm (5.04 in) in the six hours until the afternoon. [146] Sydney recorded its wettest March on record with the rain gauge picking up 554 mm (21.81 in) of rain, beating 521.4 mm (20.53 in) from 1942 – this also brought Sydney's annual total up to 1,076.2 mm (42.37 in), which is the highest January-to-March total in records that date back to 1859. [147]
  • On 6–7 April 2022, after two days of heavy rain, residents in Woronora, Camden, Wallacia and Chipping Norton were issued with a flood evacuation order as the Woronora, Nepean and Georges Rivers began to rise. Streets in Manly Vale and Casula were heavily flooded, with roads to them being cut off. 107 mm (4.21 in) of rainfall was recorded in Little Bay in just six hours, as well as 107 mm (4.21 in) at Cronulla in just three hours overnight. [148] There were 25 flood rescues during the 24 hours of this event, with one death in Cobbitty. [149]
  • Between 3–5 July 2022, an east coast low brought around eight months of rain in four days in Sydney's southwest, causing major flood and evacuation orders, in addition to one death. [150] Camden, in Sydney's southwest, had received 197.4 mm (7.77 in) of rain between 2 and 3 July, with Sydney CBD accumulating 148.6 mm (5.85 in) over the span of four days. [151] Sydney recorded its wettest July on record that year where 404 mm (15.91 in) of rain fell during the month, surpassing the July 1950 record. [152]
  • On 18 February 2023, a severe windstorm ripped through the city that left over 60,000 people without power. In addition to that, the heavy winds felled trees in the metropolitan area and caused chaos at a sailing tournament where a boat's large sail was cast into the air, causing minor injuries among bystanders. [153]
  • On the night of 2 December 2023, a thunderstorm surged through the city that abruptly ended a Good Things music event which featured US rock band Fall Out Boy, where thousands of revelers there were told to evacuate. In addition, the storm also halted an A-League soccer match between Sydney FC and Perth Glory. [154]
  • On 19 February 2024, around 75,000 lightning strikes were detected within 100km of the city. Of those lightning strikes, one struck and injured four people who were sheltering from the storm system in Royal Botanic Gardens. [155]
  • Between 5 and 6 April 2024, a black nor'easter dumped heavy rain in the Sydney region, killing one man in western Sydney. The deluge caused major public transport delays and flooding in the Northern Beaches. Penrith recorded its heaviest 24-hour rainfall on record for April at 167 mm (6.57 in). [156]

Temperature extremes

Highest monthly average high temperature
ParameterJanFebMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugSeptOctNovDec
Sydney CBD [157] 29.6 °C (85.3 °F)
(2017)
29.0 °C (84.2 °F)
(1998)
27.1 °C (80.8 °F)
(2006)
26.1 °C (79.0 °F)
(2018)
23.2 °C (73.8 °F)
(2014)
20.3 °C (68.5 °F)
(1957)
19.9 °C (67.8 °F)
(2018)
21.3 °C (70.3 °F)
(1995)
24.4 °C (75.9 °F)
(1988)
26.2 °C (79.2 °F)
(1988)
26.6 °C (79.9 °F)
(2019)
28.6 °C (83.5 °F)
(2005)
Bankstown Airport (Western Sydney) [158] 32.3 °C (90.1 °F)
(2019)
30.8 °C (87.4 °F)
(2017)
28.8 °C (83.8 °F)
(1998)
27.8 °C (82.0 °F)
(2018)
23.4 °C (74.1 °F)
(2016)
19.7 °C (67.5 °F)
(2004)
20.0 °C (68.0 °F)
(2018)
21.9 °C (71.4 °F)
(1995)
25.4 °C (77.7 °F)
(2013)
27.6 °C (81.7 °F)
(1988)
28.6 °C (83.5 °F)
(2009)
30.8 °C (87.4 °F)
(2017)
Penrith (Far-West) [159] 34.9 °C (94.8 °F)
(2019)
32.7 °C (90.9 °F)
(2004)
30.5 °C (86.9 °F)
(1998)
28.6 °C (83.5 °F)
(2018)
23.5 °C (74.3 °F)
(2016)
20.1 °C (68.2 °F)
(2004)
20.3 °C (68.5 °F)
(2018)
21.9 °C (71.4 °F)
(2009)
26.3 °C (79.3 °F)
(2013)
28.9 °C (84.0 °F)
(2013)
31.8 °C (89.2 °F)
(2009)
33.5 °C (92.3 °F)
(2019)
Lowest monthly average high temperature
ParameterJanFebMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugSeptOctNovDec
Sydney CBD23.1 °C (73.6 °F)
(1948)
23.6 °C (74.5 °F)
(1860)
22.4 °C (72.3 °F)
(1870)
20.0 °C (68.0 °F)
(1893)
16.6 °C (61.9 °F)
(1898)
14.1 °C (57.4 °F)
(1887)
13.4 °C (56.1 °F)
(1896)
14.9 °C (58.8 °F)
(1943)
17.4 °C (63.3 °F)
(1889)
19.2 °C (66.6 °F)
(1903)
20.6 °C (69.1 °F)
(1943)
22.5 °C (72.5 °F)
(1924)
Prospect Reservoir (Western Sydney) [160] 24.0 °C (75.2 °F)
(1965)
24.9 °C (76.8 °F)
(1966)
22.6 °C (72.7 °F)
(1967)
21.1 °C (70.0 °F)
(1983)
18.1 °C (64.6 °F)
(1968)
14.6 °C (58.3 °F)
(1968)
14.4 °C (57.9 °F)
(1966)
15.7 °C (60.3 °F)
(1967)
17.6 °C (63.7 °F)
(1966)
19.9 °C (67.8 °F)
(1966)
22.5 °C (72.5 °F)
(1971)
23.4 °C (74.1 °F)
(2011)
Highest minimum (Sydney CBD) [161]

Rainfall extremes

Highest daily rainfall
ParameterJanFebMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugSeptOctNovDec
Sydney CBD [161] 191.0 mm (7.5 in)
(17 Jan 1988)
243.6 mm (9.6 in)
(3 Feb 1990)
280.7 mm (11.1 in)
(28 Mar 1942)
191.0 mm (7.5 in)
(29 Apr 1860)
212.3 mm (8.4 in)
(28 May 1889)
150.6 mm (5.9 in)
(11 Jun 1991)
198.1 mm (7.8 in)
(7 Jul 1931)
327.6 mm (12.9 in)
(6 Aug 1986)
144.5 mm (5.7 in)
(10 Sep 1879)
161.8 mm (6.4 in)
(13 Oct 1902)
234.6 mm (9.2 in)
(8 Nov 1984)
126.0 mm (5.0 in)
(14 Dec 1991)
Western Sydney (Prospect Reservoir) [162] 161.2 mm (6.3 in)
(31 Jan 2001)
165.0 mm (6.5 in)
(10 Feb 2020)
153.9 mm (6.1 in)
(20 Mar 1892)
163.1 mm (6.4 in)
(16 Apr 1946)
314.2 mm (12.4 in)
(28 May 1889)
163.4 mm (6.4 in)
(11 Jun 1991)
143.5 mm (5.6 in)
(10 Jul 1904)
321.0 mm (12.6 in)
(6 Aug 1986)
96.5 mm (3.8 in)
(2 Sep 1970)
102.1 mm (4.0 in)
(5 Oct 1916)
126.2 mm (5.0 in)
(14 Nov 1969)
154.9 mm (6.1 in)
(13 Dec 1910)
Lowest monthly rainfall (Sydney CBD) [161]
Lowest monthly rainfall (Prospect Reservoir) [162]

See also

Related Research Articles

Karachi has a tropical semi arid climate, albeit a moderate version of this climate, influenced by monsoons. Karachi has a tropical climate, despite being located slightly above the Tropic of Cancer. It is situated in the monsoon region of Pakistan. It is located on the coast bordering the Arabian Sea, and as a result, has a relatively mild climate. However, in more recent years, rainfall has become more abundant, with annual rainfall projected to reach over 500 mm by 2100. For this reason, the city may be classed as almost semi-arid (BSh), since it has a mild climate with a short but defined wet season, along with a lengthy dry season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Severe storms in Australia</span> Major weather events

Severe storms in Australia refers to the storms, including cyclones, which have caused severe damage in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Sydney</span>

The climate of Sydney, Australia is humid subtropical, shifting from mild and cool in winter to warm and occasionally hot in the summer, with no extreme seasonal differences as the weather is moderated by proximity to the ocean, although more contrasting temperatures are recorded in the inland western suburbs. Despite the fact that there is no distinct dry or wet season, rainfall peaks during summer and autumn months, and is at its lowest just around the middle of the year, though precipitation can be erratic throughout the year. Precipitation varies across the region, with areas adjacent to the coast being the wettest. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, Sydney falls in the temperate climate zone which has warm to hot summers and no dry season. Sydney's plant hardiness zone ranges from zone 11a to 9b throughout the metropolitan area. Under the Holdridge Life Zones classification, eastern Sydney falls in the Subtropical Moist Forest zone and the western suburbs in the Subtropical Dry Forest zone.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Australia</span>

Australia's climate is governed mostly by its size and by the hot, sinking air of the subtropical high pressure belt. This moves north-west and north-east with the seasons. The climate is variable, with frequent droughts lasting several seasons, thought to be caused in part by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Australia has a wide variety of climates due to its large geographical size. The largest part of Australia is desert or semi-arid. Only the south-east and south-west corners have a temperate climate and moderately fertile soil. The northern part of the country has a tropical climate, varying between grasslands and desert. Australia holds many heat-related records: the continent has the hottest extended region year-round, the areas with the hottest summer climate, and the highest sunshine duration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extreme weather events in Melbourne</span> Notable weather extremities in Melbourne

Extreme weather events in Melbourne, Australia have occurred on multiple occasions. The city has experienced a number of highly unusual weather events and extremes of weather. An increase in heat waves and record breaking temperatures in the 21st century has led to much discussion over the effects of climate change in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Dubai</span>

Dubai features a tropical desert, hot arid climate. Dubai has two seasons – winter and summer. Rainfall has been increasing over the past few decades in the city accumulating to more than 130 mm (5.12 in) per year.

Australian rivers have been subject to devastating floods in New South Wales, recorded since colonisation. Flooding in New South Wales has predominately been caused by excessive flows into rivers located in New South Wales and, to a lesser extent, excessive flows into rivers located in Queensland and Victoria. Floods can devastate local communities and impact the entire local economy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyclone Yasi</span> Category 5 South Pacific and Australian region cyclone in 2011

Severe Tropical Cyclone Yasi was a powerful and destructive tropical cyclone that made landfall in northern Queensland, Australia in early 2011, causing major damage to the affected areas. Originating as a tropical low near Fiji on 26 January, the system intensified to tropical cyclone status during the evening of 30 January. Yasi deepened rapidly over the next 24 hours, and was classified as a Category 3 cyclone at about 5 PM AEST on 31 January 2011. Late on 1 February, the cyclone strengthened to a Category 4 system; then, early on 2 February, the cyclone intensified into a Category 5 Severe Tropical Cyclone. The system had a well-defined eye and continued to track west-southwestward, maintaining a central pressure of 930 hPa and a Dvorak intensity of T6.5 into the evening.

The Australian summer of 2012–2013, known as the Angry Summer or Extreme Summer, resulted in 123 weather records being broken over a 90-day period, including the hottest day ever recorded for January on record, the hottest summer average on record, and a record seven days in a row when the whole country averaged above 39 °C (102 °F). Single-day temperature records were broken in dozens of towns and cities, as well as single-day rainfall records, and several rivers flooded to new record highs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian east coast low</span>

Australian east coast lows are extratropical cyclones or low-pressure systems on the coast of southeastern Australia that may be caused by both mid-latitude and tropical influences over a variety of levels in the atmosphere. These storms should not be confused with Australian region tropical cyclones which typically affect the northern half of the continent.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyclone Joy</span> Storm that hit Australia in late 1990

Severe Tropical Cyclone Joy struck Australia in late 1990, causing the third highest floods on record in Rockhampton, Queensland. This cyclone began as a weak tropical low near the Solomon Islands, and initially moved westward. On 18 December, it was named Joy, becoming the 2nd named storm of the 1990–91 Australian region cyclone season. After turning southwest, Joy developed a well-defined eye and strengthened to maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h (103 mph) while approaching Cairns in Far North Queensland. Brushing the city with strong winds, the cyclone soon weakened and turned southeast. Joy later curved back southwest, making landfall near Townsville, Queensland on 26 December. It dissipated the next day; remnant moisture continued as torrential rainfall over Queensland for two weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyclone Christine</span>

Severe Tropical Cyclone Christine was the third tropical cyclone and the second severe tropical cyclone of the 2013–14 Australian region cyclone season. It made landfall on Western Australia's Pilbara coast nearly halfway between the major towns of Karratha and Port Hedland as a category 4 cyclone on midnight of 31 December 2013.

Perth, the capital city of the state of Western Australia, has a Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. February is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of 31.6 °C (88.9 °F), and July is the coldest month of the year, with an average low of 7.9 °C (46.2 °F). 77% of rain in Perth falls between May and September. Perth has an average of 8.8 hours of sunshine per day, which equates to around 3,200 hours of annual sunshine, and 138.7 clear days annually, making it the sunniest capital city in Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Melbourne</span>

Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria and the second most populous city in Australia, has a temperate oceanic climate, bordering on a humid subtropical climate, and is well known for its changeable weather conditions. This is mainly due to Melbourne's geographical location. This temperature differential is most pronounced in the spring and summer months and can cause strong cold fronts to form. These cold fronts can be responsible for all sorts of severe weather from gales to severe thunderstorms and hail, minor temperature drops, and heavy rain. The city experiences little humidity in summer, except at the end of hot spells following thunderstorms and rain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climate of Brisbane</span>

Brisbane has a humid subtropical climate with year-round period with warm to hot temperatures. Brisbane generally experiences 3 months of mild cool winter from June to August.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black nor'easter</span> Type of storm occurring in southeastern Australia

A black nor'easter is a persistent and potentially violent north-easterly storm that occurs on the east coast of Australia, particularly from southeastern Queensland to southern New South Wales, usually between late spring and early autumn, about two days a year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2021 eastern Australia floods</span> Series of disastrous floods in Australia

Extreme rainfall on the east coast of Australia beginning on 18 March 2021 led to widespread flooding in New South Wales, affecting regions from the North Coast to the Sydney metropolitan area in the south. Suburbs of Sydney experienced the worst flooding in 60 years, and the events were described by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian as "one in 100-year" flooding. Far-southeast communities in Queensland were also affected by flooding and heavy rainfall, though to a lesser extent than those in New South Wales.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyclone Dinah</span> Category 4 South Pacific and Australian region cyclone in 1967

Severe Tropical Cyclone Dinah was an intense tropical cyclone that impacted the southern coasts of Queensland and New South Wales, causing floods and landslides in 1967. It was regarded by an official in the Bureau of Meteorology's Brisbane Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre as the strongest storm to approach the southern coasts of Queensland since reliable records began. Forming on January 22 in the South Pacific basin, nearly 620 kilometers to the southeast of Honiara in the Solomon Islands, the disturbance that would eventually be Dinah remained disorganized until the next day when the system started to organize under the warm waters of the Coral Sea. On January 24, the disturbance was upgraded to a tropical cyclone by the BoM and was named Dinah, being the fifth storm in the records of the meteorology center of Australia in the 1966–67 Australian region cyclone season. Environmental conditions favoured Dinah to further intensify, becoming a severe tropical cyclone on January 27 while recurving south-southwestwards. On the next day, it passed through the Great Barrier Reef as a Category 4 severe tropical cyclone before passing through Fraser Island on January 29, where the Sandy Cape Lighthouse recorded a minimum barometric pressure of 944.8 hPa on Dinah, being the lowest known pressure of the system. It then battered the whole island before turning south-southeastwards, away from the coast of Queensland. Weakening took place while slowing down, passing near Lord Howe Island as a Category 2 tropical cyclone before undergoing extratropical transition on January 31. Dinah became extratropical on the night of that day before accelerating eastward, approaching New Zealand. The system then turned southeastward for the final time before passing through the North Island. It reemerged on the Southern Pacific Ocean on February 3, where it dissipated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Southeast Australian foehn</span> Weather event in Australia

The southeast Australian foehn is a westerly foehn wind and a rain shadow effect that usually occurs on the coastal plain of southern New South Wales, and as well as in southeastern Victoria and eastern Tasmania, on the leeward side of the Great Dividing Range.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 New South Wales floods</span> July disaster in New South Wales

Heavy flooding broke out in the Central Coast and Sydney areas of New South Wales, Australia, beginning in early July 2022. Around 85,000 people were displaced by the flooding or requested to leave their homes by authorities. The floods' damage was significant because rain fell on land that was already saturated after months of previous heavy rainfall. It was the third major flood in 2022 for some areas in the eastern seaboard.

References

  1. "Tropical cyclones could return to Sydney — and it's not because of climate change". 23 November 2022 via www.abc.net.au.
  2. 1 2 "Forecasters warn of potentially 'life-threatening flash-flooding' in Sydney" . Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  3. Turbulent La Nina season makes it even harder to predict the weather Sydney Morning Herald 21 January 2022.
  4. Nicholls, Neville (10 February 2020). "Fires and floods: Australia already seesaws between climate extremes – and there's more to come". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
  5. ‘Heat dome’ surrounding Australian CBDs leave suburbs to scorch Archived 3 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine by Benedict Brook from News.com.au. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  6. "THE HEAT WAVE. HIGH SHADE TEMPERATURES. BURNING OUT THE OLD YEAR. A READING OF 114 DEG. RAIN STORM IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA". Advertiser. Trove. 2 January 1905. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  7. "DEATH FROM HEAT EXHAUSTION. WEST WYALONG, Monday". Sydney Morning Herald. Trove. 29 December 1896. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  8. "HIKER'S DEATH FROM HEAT STROKE SYDNEY". Trove. Retrieved 28 January 2024.
  9. "Sydney heatwave: Is it hot enough for you?". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 October 2013. Archived from the original on 17 January 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  10. https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/sydney/year-1863#january
  11. https://coherence.com.au/curlew/2022/08/deadly-aust-heat-wave-of-1896/
  12. https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/streak-finder?city=sydney&type=high&gt=lte&value=40&units=c
  13. Failing Rains and Thirsty Cities: Australia’s Growing Water Problem Archived 28 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine by Jon Heggie from the National Geographic
  14. "HEAT WAVE IN SYDNEY TEMPERATURE REACHES 106.2 DEGREES HOTTEST SINCE 1896". Daily Advertiser. Trove. 10 January 1929. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  15. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_067033_All.shtml
  16. http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/climate/extremes/daily_extremes.cgi?period=%2Fcgi-bin%2Fclimate%2Fextremes%2Fdaily_extremes.cgi&climtab=tmin_high&area=nsw&year=1983&mon=1&day=9
  17. Petra Stock and Natasha May (30 August 2023). "Sydney records hottest August day since 1995 as Australia swelters through warm end to winter". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  18. "Sydney Weather in 2010". www.extremeweatherwatch.com.
  19. Sydney records third warmest August day on record Archived 3 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine By Stephanie Gardiner from Sydney Morning Herald. 23 August 2012. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  20. "Special Climate Statement 43 – extreme heat in January 2013" (PDF). Bureau of Meteorology. 1 February 2013. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  21. "Sydney in July 2013: Warmest July on record". WeatherZone. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  22. Smith, Bridie (3 October 2013). "Climate Council reports warmest September on record". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  23. "September's average temperature for Sydney beats 33-year-old record". Archived from the original on 29 September 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
  24. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/current/month/nsw/archive/201411.sydney.shtml
  25. Hannam, Peter (2 November 2015). "October blew away heat records for any month of any year: Bureau of Meteorology". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 27 March 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  26. "Sydney in summer 2016-17: Warmest summer on record". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  27. McInnes, William (8 January 2018). "Sydney clocks the hottest place on Earth as hot weather continues". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 8 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  28. Kennedy, Jean (8 January 2018). "Sydney has its hottest April day on record and the endless summer looks set to continue". ABC News . Archived from the original on 10 April 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  29. Dodds, Troy (31 December 2019). "Penrith Sets New December Temperature Record". Western Weekender . Retrieved 21 July 2024.
  30. Janek Drevikovsky; Sally Rawsthorne (4 January 2020). "'Hottest place on the planet': Penrith in Sydney's west approaches 50 degrees". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 25 January 2020. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  31. New data shows Sydney suburbs reached temperatures over 50C last summer Archived 27 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine by Anton Nilsson from News.com.au. Retrieved 26 November 2020
  32. The Sydney suburbs that hit 50C last summer Archived 31 October 2020 at the Wayback Machine by Angus Thompson from The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 November 2020
  33. "Western Sydney to join the State's best swimming destinations". Department of Planning and Environment. 26 November 2023. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  34. "Sydney's Penrith the hottest place on Earth amid devastating bushfires". SBS News. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  35. Sydney records coldest stretch of May days in 54 years Archived 23 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine by Nine News, 20 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2021.
  36. Sydney records coldest day in 37 years Archived 10 June 2021 at the Wayback Machine by Nine News
  37. Sydney shivers through coldest day since 1984 as snow blankets NSW Archived 10 June 2021 at the Wayback Machine By Sarah McPhee and Daniella White from The Daily Telegraph. 10 June 2021
  38. Sydney's record 15-day spell of 20 degree winter days Archived 23 August 2021 at the Wayback Machine by Ben Domensino from Weatherzone. 23 August 2021
  39. Sydney on track to smash weather records for September as 'remarkable' hot spell continues across parts of NSW by Adriana Mageros, Sky Weather. 18 September 2023. Retrieved 19 September 2023.
  40. "Australia heatwave: Sydney sees hottest September day on record". News.com.au. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  41. "Sydney temperature records smashed for the start of October". Sydney Morning Herald. October 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  42. "Sydney's hottest first fortnight of summer on record". WeatherZone. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  43. "Sydney swelters through day of extreme heat before southerly brings relief". amp.smh.com.au.
  44. "Sydney sweats through muggiest day on record". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  45. Anthony Sharwood (30 August 2024). "Sydney hits 30°C in winter". WeatherZone. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  46. Aleisha Orr (30 August 2024). "A Sydney heat record has been broken, and another could fall in Queensland". SBS News . Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  47. Bushfire threatens homes in Turramurra; The Sydney Morning Herald; 29 December 1993
  48. NSW Rural Fire Service: Our History; www.rfs.nsw.gov.au
  49. Twenty years on since the 1994 fires - Seven News Flashback; rfs.nsw.gov.au; 6 Jan 2014
  50. Mr N. P. Cheney, CSIRO Division of Forestry; BUSHFIRES - AN INTEGRAL PART OF AUSTRALIA'S ENVIRONMENT; The Year Book of Australia 1995; www.abs.gov.au; online 25 Jan 2020
  51. Worst dust storm in decades sweeps across four states Archived 11 December 2018 at the Wayback Machine Australian Weather News
  52. Ramachandran, Arjun (23 September 2009). "Sydney turns red: dust storm blankets city". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 26 January 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
  53. "Brisbane on alert as dust storms sweep east". ABC News. 23 September 2009. Archived from the original on 8 August 2022. Retrieved 27 March 2022 via www.abc.net.au.
  54. "Sydney in Autumn 2010". Bom.gov.au. Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  55. "Third warmest winter on record for Sydney". Bom.gov.au. 27 August 1995. Archived from the original on 20 May 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  56. "Sydney in January 2011: Warm start to 2011". Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  57. "NSW in September 2013: Warmest September on record". Monthly Climate Summary for New South Wales. Bureau of Meteorology. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2013.
  58. "Sydney in summer 2013-14: Driest summer since 1986-87". ABC News. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  59. "Sydney in midst of driest summer for more than 70 years". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 February 2014. Archived from the original on 9 June 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  60. "2017 brought another year of weather extremes as drought and heat took its toll". Sydney Morning Herald. 2017. Archived from the original on 3 January 2018. Retrieved 2 January 2018.
  61. Dust storm hits Sydney, NSW Government issues air quality warning Archived 22 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine by Jamie McKinnell and Angelique Lu (ABC News)
  62. Worst drought in more than 100 years now on Sydney’s doorstep Archived 22 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine by Jack Morphet (News.com.au)
  63. "Sydney smoke haze reaches 11 times the hazardous level". Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  64. Hromas, Jessica (10 December 2019). "Sydney smoke: bushfires haze smothers landmarks – in pictures". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  65. "Bushfire smoke makes Sydney air quality worse than Delhi". Archived from the original on 28 March 2022. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  66. "Sydney fire haze equal to 'smoking 32 cigarettes'". Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  67. "'There's clearly a warming trend. You can't not see it': Our year of wild weather". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 January 2020. Archived from the original on 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  68. Sydney's driest June since 1986 amid record wet start to year Archived 2 July 2022 at the Wayback Machine Ben Domensino from WeatherZone. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2022.
  69. "Sydney records driest start to winter in 85 years". Nine News. 14 July 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  70. Touma, Rafqa; Rachwani, Mostafa (14 September 2023). "Sydney smoke: air quality among worst in world due to hazard-reduction burns". The Guardian. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  71. "Sydney blanketed by haze as strong winds carry smoke from Duck Creek, Pilliga Forest bushfire". ABC News. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
  72. WEATHER SECRETS OF THE FIRST FLEET VOYAGE Arthur Phillip Chapter of Fellowship of First Fleeters
  73. Evershed, Nick (26 March 2013). "MULTIMEDIA: Tornadoes in Australia". The Courier. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  74. 1 2 "When were most recent major East Coast Lows?". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
  75. La Niña brings flooding rains to NSW in the early 1860s by Climate History Australia, 27 September 2012. 16 April 2020
  76. 1 2 3 Sydney’s wild weather by Nicole Cama, 9 June 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2020
  77. Sydney’s most devastating flood, the Great Flood of 1867, remembered The Daily Telegraph 21 June 2017. Retrieved 15 April 2020
  78. HEAVY FLOODS IN THE SUBURBS. INTERRUPTION TO RAILWAY AND TELE-GRAPHIC COMMUNICATION. FATALITY AT COOK'S RIVER. DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 14 April 2020
  79. "Climate statistics for Prospect Reservoir". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  80. Flood in Sydney Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld: 1907 - 1954). Retrieved 15 April 2020
  81. PARRAMATTA FLOODED. BUILDINGS DESTROYED. MANY EXCITING EXPERIENCES. 24 March 1914 Sydney Morning Herald
  82. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Stormy weather - A century of storms, fire, flood and drought in New South Wales by the Bureau of Meteorology, 2009. Retrieved 15 April 2020
  83. THE FLOODS. SYDNEY- DOWNPOUR. Remarkable Rain Records. The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957). Retrieved 15 April 2020
  84. SYDNEY LASHED BY STORM by The Daily News (Perth) from The National Library of Australia. Retrieved 15 April 2020
  85. "ICE STORM LASHES CITY AND SUBURBS". Sydney Morning Herald . No. 34, 018. New South Wales, Australia. 2 January 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 11 September 2016 via National Library of Australia.
    "SCENES OF DEVASTATION AFTER FREAK HAIL HIT CITY". Sydney Morning Herald . No. 34, 018. New South Wales, Australia. 2 January 1947. p. 1. Retrieved 11 September 2016 via National Library of Australia.
  86. SYDNEY HAS WORST FLOOD IN HISTORY Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld.:1907 - 1954). Retrieved 15 April 2020
  87. "Australian East Coast Storm 2007: Impact of East Coast Lows". Guy Carpenter. October 2007. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  88. Hopkins, Linda C.; Holland, Greg J. (1997). "Australian Heavy-Rain Days and Associated East Coast Cyclones: 1958–92". Journal of Climate. 10 (4): 621–635. Bibcode:1997JCli...10..621H. doi: 10.1175/1520-0442(1997)010<0621:AHRDAA>2.0.CO;2 .
  89. DEATH. FLOOD DAMAGE AND DELAYS IN SYDNEY STORM|TWO LANDSLIDES BLOCK. MAIN NORTHERN RAILWAY The Sun (Sydney, NSW : 1910 - 1954). Retrieved 15 April 2020
  90. Flashback: Penrith’s disastrous 1961 flood by The Western Weekender. 21 March 2021
  91. Floods Engulf Nepean Valley by Trove. 21 March 2021
  92. The March, 1978 flood on theHawkesbury and Nepean Riverbetween Penrith and Pitt Town S. J. Riley, School of Earth Sciences, Macquarie University, North Ryde. Retrieved 15 April 2020
  93. 1 2 "Bureau - Severe Storm events - 1980/1989". webarchive.nla.gov.au. Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  94. Sydney, New South Wales, November 1984 Flood - Sydney Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience. Retrieved 15 April 2020
  95. Rain in Sydney, 1986 in Australian Climate Extremes, Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 9 September 2006.
  96. Low pressure systems off the New South Wales coast and associated hazardous weather: establishment of a database by Milton S. Speer, Perry Wiles and Acacia Pepler, Climate Change Research Centre, Faculty of Science, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. Bureau of Meteorology, Department of Physical Geography, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
  97. 1 2 3 The response to the ‘mother of all storms’: a combat agency view By Chas Keys, Deputy Director General, NSW State Emergency Service. Retrieved 15 April 2020
  98. East Coast Low: Saturday 31 August 1996 by Michael Bath
  99. Wet-weather flashback: Round 22, 1996 by Zachary Gates, 10 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  100. "The Sydney Hailstorm - 14 April 1999". Bureau of Meteorology. Retrieved 5 October 2006.
  101. "Summary of Significant Severe Thunderstorm Events in NSW - 2007/08". Bureau of Meteorology. 2011. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 27 September 2011.
  102. "Sydney has wettest June for 57 years".
  103. "Storm drenches Sydney". UPI.com. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  104. "Sydney dries out but regional threatened". News.smh.com.au. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  105. "Weather News - Wild storms lash Sydney". Weatherzone.com.au. 13 February 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  106. "Rain swamps Sydney's water catchments". Smh.com.au. 7 February 2010. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  107. Huffer, Julie (10 February 2010). "Heaviest rain in almost 20 years - Environment". Hornsby-advocate.whereilive.com.au. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2010.
  108. "Sydney records its wettest July in 50 years as parts of NSW are declared disaster zones".
  109. 1 2 "Hornsby hit by mini tornado which sounded like a freight train and ripped the roof of the Myer building".
  110. "Clean-up after tornado strikes in Sydney's north". 19 November 2013 via www.abc.net.au.
  111. "Hornsby was hit by a tornado, Bureau of Meteorology confirms". Sydney Morning Herald.
  112. "'Once every 100 years': what made the Sydney storm so ferocious". Sydney Morning Herald. 15 October 2014.
  113. Roads turn to rivers as NSW suffers freak hailstorm The Daily Telegraph
  114. Hannam, Peter (21 April 2015). "Sydney weather: It's not a cyclone but it sure felt like one". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  115. "Three killed, homes washed away as 'cyclonic' low batters NSW". 20 April 2015 via www.abc.net.au.
  116. Sydney tornado: Clean-up underway in Kurnell after 'unprecedented' storm delivers 213kph winds by ABC News, 16 December 2015
  117. Rain records broken across Sydney by Sarah Muller, from The Sydney Morning Herald, 5 June 2016
  118. Sydney weather and Queensland bushfire extremes have a common thread by Kate Doyle (ABC News Australia)
  119. Two dead as heavy rain and storms cause commuter chaos in Sydney By Rachel Clun, Sarah Keoghan & Jenny Noyes (Sydney Morning Herald)
  120. Wild Wednesday: SES volunteer dies as torrential rain lashes Sydney and surrounds by Benedict Brook, Charlotte Willis and Rohan Smith (news.com.au)
  121. Sydney hit by fierce lightning storm but hot weather forecast to return to the city's west by Clare Mathie and Lily Mayers, from ABC news, 9 January 2019
  122. Sydney lashed by severe thunderstorms, power outages, flooding by Bellinda Kontominas and Nick Sas, from ABC news, 9 February 2019
  123. Rain: Warragamba Dam gets huge boost as chaos reigns in wake of weekend deluge in NSW, Queensland by The Australian, 10 February 2020
  124. Sydney rains: Record rainfall brings flooding but puts out mega-blaze by the BBC News, 10 February 2020
  125. Thousands Without Power As NSW Cops Heaviest Rain In Two Decades by 10 daily, 9 February 2020
  126. Sydney weather: Monday, long term forecast, and current storm update by 7 News, 9 February 2020
  127. Sydney weather: Man killed, trees felled, power cut as storm wreaks havoc across NSW by The Australian, 19 February 2020
  128. Sydney thunderstorm lights up the night sky as lightning, wind gusts and hail hit NSW by ABC News, 19 February 2020
  129. Man dies in crash on Sydney's Northern Beaches Archived 23 March 2021 at the Wayback Machine by Olivana Lathouris from Nine News. 22 March 2021.
  130. A Pakistani man died in the Sydney floods today | 7NEWS, archived from the original on 25 March 2021, retrieved 24 March 2021
  131. NSW weather live: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian warns of 'prolonged 'event by ABC News. 20 March 2021
  132. NSW weather: mini-tornado damages homes in Chester Hill, says NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian by ABC News. 20 March 2021
  133. Parramatta River breaks its banks, flooding Powerhouse Museum site by Linda Morris and Andrew Taylor from Sydney Morning Herald. 21 March 2021
  134. Record rains, flooding prompt evacuations in Australia by Yahoo! News
  135. Sydney weather live: Evacuation warnings across Western Sydney and Mid-North Coast as Warragamba Dam overflows by ABC News. 21 March 2021
  136. Australia weather live updates: 'Relentless' rain to continue into next week by News.com.au. 21 March 2021.
  137. "Microbursts: what causes the deadly, high-speed weather events?". The Guardian. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  138. Brickwood, Pallavi Singhal, James (19 December 2021). "One dead and multiple injured after tree collapse in northern beaches". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  139. "Thousands without power on Sydney's Northern Beaches after deadly storm". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  140. Chung, Josh Dye, Laura (20 December 2021). "'Freak accident': Yoga teacher killed after Christmas party". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 21 December 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  141. "Son says mother who was killed in Sydney storm will be 'sorely missed'". ABC News. 20 December 2021. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  142. Hundreds of Sydney storm damage clean-up jobs underway after torrential rain By Romy Gilbert Raffaella Ciccarelli from 9News. 23 February 2022.
  143. Sydney rain smashes summer records as cleanup from deluge continues By Raffaella Ciccarelli from 9news. 24 February 2022.
  144. "Sydney weather warning cancelled as rain moves towards the Hunter". ABC News. 3 March 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  145. "Woman found dead in Sydney's west as flood warnings force residents to evacuate". Sydney Morning Herald. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  146. Dangerous winds to lash Sydney but respite from rain is imminent The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 March 2022
  147. 1 2 Wettest March on record rewrites Sydney's climatology Archived 31 March 2022 at the Wayback Machine Ben Domensino from Weatherzone. 30 March 2022.
  148. Evacuation orders issued, homes isolated in Sydney as torrential rain causes flash flooding By Heath Parkes-Hupton, Carla Hildebrandt, and Jessica Kidd from ABC News. 7 April 2022.
  149. 'We're still in disbelief': Popular dog breeder Tony Ikin killed in Sydney floodwaters By Savannah Meacham and Adam Vidler from 9 News. 8 April 2022.
  150. "Australia floods: 50,000 on evacuation alert after deluge hits Sydney". BBC News . 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  151. "More rain expected as Sydney deals with major flooding". One News . 5 July 2022. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  152. "404 mm breaks July rainfall record in Sydney". Sydney Morning Herald. 1 August 2022. Archived from the original on 1 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  153. Wild scenes as ferocious Sydney storm rips apart sailboat by Yahoo! News. 19 February 2023.
  154. "Music festival evacuated as wild storm sweeps through Sydney". www.smh.com.au. Retrieved 2 December 2023.
  155. "Music festival evacuated as wild storm sweeps through Sydney". www.SBS.com.au. SBS News . Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  156. Evacuation and extreme weather warnings issued after heavy rain falls across parts of Sydney and the Illawarra by ABC meteorologist Tom Saunders, Brooke Chandler and Jesse Hyland. ABC News. 6 April 2024.
  157. Monthly mean maximum temperature for Sydney (Observatory Hill) Archived 28 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine by the Bureau of Meteorology
  158. Monthly mean maximum temperature for Bankstown Airport AWS Archived 17 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine by the Bureau of Meteorology
  159. Monthly mean maximum temperature for Penrith Lakes AWS Archived 20 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine by the Bureau of Meteorology
  160. Monthly mean maximum temperature for Prospect Reservoir Archived 12 September 2023 at the Wayback Machine by the Bureau of Meteorology
  161. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sydney (Observatory Hill) Period 1991-2020". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  162. 1 2 3 "Climate statistics for Prospect Reservoir". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 14 November 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  163. "Greater Sydney in July 2022: wettest on record". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 20 March 2021. Retrieved 15 August 2022.
  164. "Greater Sydney in October 2022: Very wet; cooler than average days and warmer than average nights". Bureau of Meteorology. Archived from the original on 6 November 2022. Retrieved 6 November 2022.