The storm, moving westward from the coastline, swept over the city’s south and west at around 5.30am, with south-west Sydney and the Blue Mountains being hit hard.
Around 68mm of rain was recorded at Liverpool in the Georges River from midnight to 5.15am, with Peakhurst copping a drenching of 44mm of rain in just one hour between 3.30 and 4.30am, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Sydney and the Blue Mountains are in the direct firing line of the severe thunderstorm. (Bureau of Meteorology)
Other areas believed to be in the firing line are Penrith, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic Park and Strathfield.
The risk of flash flooding could last for several hours, with heavy winds and hailstones also expected from the storms, which are also impacting the state’s north in towns like Armidale and Tamworth.
SES State Duty Commander Sonya Oyston urged drivers to take extreme care on roads around the state today due to the already wet weather and risk of flash flooding.
“There has been a lot of flash flooding which has closed roads, and we anticipate some may remain closed for some time,” she said.
“We’re asking the community to remain patient, and make safe, sensible decisions to never drive into flooded roads.”
People in areas that may be impacted by floods are being urged to avoid creeks and storm drains, and to not drive through flood water in any circumstances.
The early morning storm continues Sydney’s wet weekend, with the Northern Beaches being issued with several evacuation notices late last night.
The SES responded to thousands of incidents in Sydney and across New South Wales last night, with conditions expected to be poor today. (Nine)
Residents in the Narrabeen Lagoon area were urged to leave just before 11pm due to localised flooding.
A landslide was reported at Great Mackerel Beach near the Barrenjoey Headland, impacting three properties.
A Watch and Act flood warning is also still in place for the Manly Lagoon, with an update on the situation on the Northern Beaches expected at around 10am this morning.
Stroms stretched across Sydney and the surrounding areas, with the Central Coast and Wollongong being lashed with hundreds of millimetres of rain in the last 48 hours.
The SES said they had responded to over 1400 incidents, including 743 in the Sydney area.
The weather has also wreaked havoc with the state’s roads and transport, with several closures in place.
Today’s storm continue a wild weekend of weather for Sydney. (Nine)
Buses are replacing trains between Hornsby and Gosford due to flooding on the tracks, whilst bus and light rail services in Sydney have also been impacted.
Several roads are closed across Sydney, including Wakehurst Parkway between North Narrabeen and Oxford Falls, and Joadja Road in Preston’s in Sydney’s south-west.
A woman was killed in the Southern Highlands yesterday afternoon when the car she was travelling in was struck by a tree branch.
