Sydney Weather Update: Potential Severe Thunderstorm Forecasted Amidst Continued Rainy Conditions

Sydney residents faced an afternoon of chaos on Monday as a sudden storm swept through the state’s east coast, unleashing over 75,000 lightning strikes across the city. The storm, which descended shortly after noon, took many city workers by surprise, leaving tens of thousands of homes and businesses in the northern areas without power.

Tragically, lightning struck four individuals seeking shelter under trees in the Royal Botanic Garden just before 1 pm, resulting in all four being rendered unconscious and sustaining burns. Among them were a teenage boy, a woman in her 20s, and a man and woman both in their 30s. Emergency services swiftly responded, transporting two patients to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and the other two to St Vincent’s Hospital, all reported to be in stable condition. Additionally, three residences in Bronte, Sylvania, and Baulkham Hills were struck by lightning, while the State Emergency Service conducted seven flood rescues in the western areas.

Sydney Train Network and Airport Hit by Lightning Strikes

The sudden storm also wreaked havoc on the train network, as lightning struck signaling equipment, leading to the closure of the T1 Western and T9 Northern lines for the majority of the afternoon. This left hundreds of commuters stranded and drenched across the network until replacement buses were deployed.

Limited train services resumed shortly after 5 pm, according to a spokesperson from Transport for NSW. However, significant delays persisted throughout the evening, impacting the T1 Western and T9 Northern lines, as well as causing flow-on delays for the T2 Inner West and T3 Bankstown Line.

The disruptions were expected to continue well into the evening hours.

Furthermore, the storm’s impact extended to Sydney Airport, where one runway was struck, forcing it to be temporarily taken offline for approximately 20 minutes. Although repairs were swiftly undertaken, travelers faced notable delays, resulting in the cancellation of around 15 departing international and domestic flights. Notably, Taylor Swift’s private jet encountered no issues and safely landed just before 1:30 pm.

Lightning Strikes Cause Power Outages

“Just under 3000 homes and businesses in Hornsby, Turramurra, Thornleigh, and Belrose remained without power as of 6:30 PM due to lightning striking part of the electricity network. Earlier, approximately 13,000 households and businesses around Balgowlah and Seaforth were plunged into darkness after a storm damaged an overhead power line between Beacon Hill and Allambie Heights, according to electricity provider Ausgrid. All outages were attributed to lightning strikes, with a company spokesperson explaining that the network’s trip system automatically shuts off to inspect for any physical damage before restoration. Services were anticipated to be restored later in the evening.”

Sydney Braces for Severe Thunderstorm Amidst Continued Stormy Weather

Sydney faces the prospect of further turbulent weather on Tuesday, with a potentially severe thunderstorm anticipated in the afternoon. Expectations indicate a high of 26 degrees Celsius with mostly cloudy skies. Rainfall is projected to persist throughout the week before subsiding by Sunday. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the city is experiencing slow-moving thunderstorms due to an “upper trough and series of surface troughs.” Senior meteorologist Jake Phillips explained that these storms originate from the southeast, moving inland from the northwest.