Heavy rain and flooding Sydney and Western Sydney Flooding in pictures - 3 July 2022

Sustained rain across the Illawarra and Sydney regions is now resulting in significant flooding across the Hawkesbury River once again for 2022.

Flooded Road Kenyan Road Schofields
Flooded Road Kerry Road Schofields
House Flooded in low lying areas Schofields
House Flooded in low lying areas Schofields

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sustained heavy rain set in Saturday afternoon which continued into Sunday. Some of the rainfall totals have been impressive even exceeding forecast models by a significant amount.

Water over the road at Scholfields
Carnarvon Road at Scholfields - Water over the road.
Flooded low lying areas
Flooded sheds at Mc Graths Hill on Wolseley Road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

24 Hour Rainfall for parts of the Sydney Region

For the 24 hours to 9 am Sunday the heaviest falls from the event include:

Brogers No 2 (Brogers Creek) - 368 mm.

Wattamolla - 318 mm.

Woronora Dam - 270 mm.

Lucas Heights - 251 mm.

Dombarton Loop and Fitzroy Falls - 236 mm.

Beaumont (The Cedars) - 235 mm.

Warragamba Dam - 168 mm.

Flooded roads
Flooded Wolseley Road with floating water tank looking eat.
Flooded roads
Second image of flooded Wolseley Road looking east

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A look at the rainfall figures for the Sydney region demonstrates that many weather stations across Sydney’s south and south west received rainfalls of greater than 100 mm for the 24 hours while lighter falls fell across the north and north west. There are also 3 weather stations within the Sydney region that received more than 200 mm during the same period.

Flooded parklands
Flooded parklands on Old Hawkesbury Road looking north near Killarney Chain of Ponds Creek
Closed and flooded roads
Windsor Road just closed looking west as flood waters begin to inundate road

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such rainfall has resulted in moderate to major flooding along the Hawkesbury River Valley with flood levels rising fast.

Flooded roads
Windsor Road at the point where flood waters begin to inundate road at Mc Graths Hill
Flooded roads
A flooded Windsor Road at Mc Graths Hill looking west

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Storms Investigated on our Storm Chase

During Sunday afternoon, I undertook a survey of 6 sites around Scholfields, Mc Graths Hill and Windsor all of which are prone to flooding being:

  1. Schofields - Blacktown being Angus Road and Kerry Road.
  2. Mc Graths Hill at Wolsley Road including Killarney Chain of Ponds Creek and Old Hawkesbury Road (2 locations).
  3. Mc Graths Hill at Windsor Road.
  4. Windsor Bridge.
  5. Governor Phillip Park.
Windsor Bridge closed
Windsor Bridge just after it was closed as flood waters rise looking west
Flooded parks and parklands
Flooding at Governor Phillip Park just north of Windsor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was clear that floodwaters were rising quickly and speaking to State Emergency Services (SES) Personnel at McGraths Hill, I was advised that Windsor Road had only been closed 20 minutes before I arrived and flood waters were already lapping across the road.

I was also watching SES crews close Windsor Bridge as flood waters were approaching a level of approximately 1 metre below the road level. It is anticipated that flood waters will continue to rise and eventually cover the road surface once again.

Flooded car parks
Flooded car park at Governor Phillip Park looking north west

SES crews were also in the process of reinforcing the road closure of Pitt Town Road just north of the intersection of Worsely Road (Mc Graths Hill).

While watching flood waters at Windsor, I was also observing large tree branches being washed down stream.

Several roads around Windsor are now closed due to flooding and 2 army vehicles were observed suggesting that evacuations were underway.

While at Governor Phillip Park, I could see that flood waters were rising and hence I took my photos and left quickly.

This weather event is still unfolding with substantial rainfall forecast to continue into Monday.

Heavy rainfall across Sydney
24 hour rainfall plot for Sydney showing rainfall to 9 am Sunday morning

My photos of this unfolding event were taken between 1 pm and 4 pm at a time when the Hawkesbury River had just began to experience significant moderate flooding with river heights exceeding 10 metres (well into the moderate range) at Windsor PWD. Upstream at Richmond Pump Station, major flooding is occurring where the river height was 13.4 metres.

This event is now the third flood event for 2022 along the same river valley.

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