There is no end in sight for the rain and floods hitting NSW, with already saturated catchments due for a further soaking.
After a reprieve from the rain at the weekend, the wet weather is set to return on Wednesday.
“This is not good news for our already flood-affected areas,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Dean Narramore said.
Rain and thunderstorms developing over central Australia will begin to move toward eastern states, including NSW and Victoria, where major flooding is already occurring.
“As we move into Wednesday, we’ll see that system move further eastwards, bringing widespread rain and storms,” he said on Tuesday.
Thursday threatens “quite severe” thunderstorms through eastern Queensland and NSW, set to continue on Friday, he said.
A low pressure system will weaken but be followed by more rain at the weekend.
The downpours could cause renewed flooding along rivers in parts of the northwest, central west and southwest inland catchments, which are already inundated from months of persistent rain.
Residents in East Moama, near the Victorian border, have been told to evacuate by 1pm on Wednesday.
Hundreds of people in and near Moama have already been told to evacuate this week, with the area predicted to see flood heights eclipse a 1993 event, the area’s second worst on record.
The SES has distributed tens of thousands of sandbags and set up evacuation centres in the area.
Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke said the wet conditions tested the resolve of flood-weary communities.
“This is what living through a third consecutive La Nina event looks like,” she said.
“Our grounds are saturated and we are continuing to see rain and more rain”.
Major flood warnings remain in place for eight rivers around the state, mostly inland rivers including the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers.
Closer to the coast in the NSW Hunter region, the bureau warns of a renewed flood threat on some rivers as rain continues, with the flood-prone Wollombi Brook likely to flood later in the week.
The bureau is also keeping a close eye on the Lower Hunter River and Colo River north west of Sydney.
© AAP 2022
