4 hours ago
3
Damaging winds have torn through Sydney, bringing down large trees only hours after the city enjoyed hot and sunny summer-like weather on Sunday afternoon.
A large tree – estimated by a contractor to be 26 metres long – tore through powerlines and landed on a car on Bourke Street in Surry Hills at around 3.30pm, as the SES responded to more than 100 tree-related call-outs across the city.
The estimated 26-metre long tree tore down powerlines and landed on a car after it was brought down by strong winds on Sunday afternoon.Credit: Max Mason-Hubers
The tree, which fell metres from the tram line, brought down live wires, which injured a 30-year-old woman and closed the busy inner-city street. The woman was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
According to NSW Police, about six houses were left without power. Ausgrid isolated power to the street before the NSW State Emergency Service could proceed with removing the tree.
From noon to 6pm, the NSW SES received more than 160 storm and tree-related incidents, with Bankstown, Parramatta and Bayside among the worst affected.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds across Sydney, parts of the Illawarra and the Central Tablelands.
Earlier on Sunday, Sydney enjoyed warm weather reaching up to 31 degrees, before a cold front brought gale-force gusts in the afternoon and temperatures plummeted by more than 10 degrees, according to the bureau’s senior meteorologist, Gabrielle Woodhouse.
“Ahead of [a cold front], we see those warm, windy conditions,” she said. “What we saw over western NSW was a cloud band and rain starting to develop, which moved in towards the central west during the morning.”
“Ahead of that change actually coming through Sydney was a wind, [followed by] the cold front. It has become a bit of a cloudy and dreary-looking afternoon after a very stunning morning.”
Sydney Airport recorded some of the strongest gusts across the state on Sunday, experiencing winds of up to 102 km/h. Port Kembla recorded gusts of 91 km/h, Kurnell of 89 km/h, and Fort Denison of 87 km/h.
Swimmers enjoyed the summer-like conditions at Bondi on Sunday morning, before the change blew in.Credit: Edwina Pickles
The weather was expected to clear later on Sunday evening, according to Woodhouse, who said more wind could arrive on Friday.
“It should be dry and sunny on Monday and Tuesday. Temperatures will cool down a fraction compared to what we saw today,” she said.
“We’re looking at maximum temperatures of around 33 degrees in the city on Friday, with maybe a late shower and a gusty ... cool, southerly change.”
Get alerts on breaking news as it happens. Sign up for our Breaking News Alert.
Most Viewed in National
Loading
