Latest news with #Narramore
West Australian
23-05-2025
- Climate
- West Australian
Fears as Warragamba Dam nears capacity in NSW flood event
Sydneysiders are being warned to remain alert as Warragamba Dam nears capacity, after earlier fears the dam would spill following relentless rains. The capital is expected to cop an estimated 90mm of rainfall through Friday, as the system that has caused devastating - and deadly - flooding across NSW Mid North Coast and Hunter regions moves further south. More than 118mm of rain was recorded at Sydney Olympic Park in the 24 hours up to 9am on Friday, with 108mm at Belrose and 104mm in Parramatta. Warragamba Dam - which is Australia's largest concrete dam and services much of Sydney - had reached 97 per cent as of late Friday morning, with the catchment recording 55mm of rain in the 24 hours up to 9am Friday and 76.3mm in the past week. WaterNSW had warned on Thursday - while the dam was at 96 per cent - that it was at risk of overflowing and spilling by Friday afternoon or early Saturday morning. 'The exact timing and volume of a spill will depend on catchment rainfall and the resulting inflow into the dam,' a statement read. 'Under the more likely forecast scenario, the dam would begin to spill later Friday or into Saturday morning.' NSW Premier Chris Minns told ABC Radio Sydney on Friday morning that no evacuation alerts had been issued in the Hawkesbury region, though conditions could still change. 'The truth is 40 per cent of floodwaters don't come over the top of Warragamba Dam, they come through the Colo, South Creek, Nepean and other river systems on the north of that river end,' he said. The most recent update from WaterNSW, released later on Friday morning, said there was now less chance the dam would spill over. 'A spill at Warragamba Dam is now less likely after overnight rain over the catchment came in below the highest forecasts,' the statement read. 'WaterNSW will continue to monitor dam inflows and rainfall throughout the day and will keep the community updated on any expected impacts on Warragamba Dam.' The dam was predicted to overflow after NSW residents were hit with a three-day barrage of rains in June last year. The rains are not quite over yet for those in Sydney and NSW, with the Bureau of Meteorology's Dean Narramore saying on Friday morning that severe warnings had been issued for regions from the Illawarra to the Snowy Mountains. Some areas were tipped to receive six-hourly totals of up to 100mm. The SES has warned of heavy rainfall extending further south to the Southern Tablelands and inland South Coast, which will affect Bowral, Braidwood, Bega, Katoomba, Goulburn, Nerriga and Captains Flat for the rest of Friday.
The Guardian
24-04-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Wet and stormy weather forecast for Australia's east coast over Anzac day long weekend
Parts of Australia's east coast are in for a wet long weekend, with storms and rain forecast for Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Sydneysiders can expect brief storms on Friday, but weather 'should remain fairly dry' for morning Anzac services, with partly cloudy skies and potential fog in the west of the city, Dean Narramore, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said on Thursday. Humid conditions and above-average warm temperatures between 17 and 25 degrees may cause rain and storms later in the day. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter Rain is expected in Sydney on Saturday and Sunday, with a high of 25 degrees forecast on both days. The wet weather is predicted to linger into next week. Showers and thunderstorms will develop over inland New South Wales from Anzac Day and extend east over the weekend. Widespread showers and isolated thunderstorms are forecast to persist along the northern coast into the weekend. The New South Wales State Emergency Service issued a warning on Thursday urging travellers to remain vigilant. A spokesperson said the service had already responded to unsettled weather conditions this week after heavy rain and thunderstorms battered the state's coast and adjacent ranges. This week's heavy downpour has moved north to the Queensland border, with showers expected to hit south-east Queensland and northern NSW coasts on Friday. Brisbane has a high chance of showers and possible thunderstorms on Friday, with temperatures expected between 18 and 26 degrees. The rain is forecast to continue on Saturday, with a high of 27 degrees. The wet weather should ease up to be partly cloudy, with a high of 29 on Sunday. Melburnians can expect a damp Anzac day, with intermittent showers and potential storms from the early morning onwards. Despite that, Melbourne is predicted to have temperatures between 17 and 23 degrees on Friday, about 5 degrees warmer than average for this time of year. Showers are expected for the rest of the weekend. Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Canberra is predicted to have fine and dry weather on Friday. The nation's capital is forecast to have a low of 8 degrees first thing, meaning people may be in store for chilly dawn services, although it should thaw out later in the day. There is an increased chance of showers over the weekend, with highs of 22 on Saturday and 20 on Sunday. Adelaide should have similarly pleasant weather, with some clouds, a 30% chance of showers and above average temperatures on Friday. The rest of the weekend will remain partly cloudy, with a slight chance of showers. 'We've got a bit of everything around the country,' Narramore said. Perth will have clear and sunny skies, but the Western Australian capital is in for its coldest day of the year so far on Friday, with a minimum of 9 degrees and top of 22. Narramore said this would mean a 'pretty chilly dawn service', though it would be nice and dry, which should remain the case on Saturday and Sunday. Up north, Darwin has a slight chance of showers in the afternoon and evening on Friday, but should remain dry for morning services, with temperatures ranging between 24 and 33 degrees. There is a chance of showers over the weekend, with highs of 32 on Saturday and 31 on Sunday. Hobart is expected to have temperatures between 14 and 21 degrees on Friday. Tasmania could see a few showers 'here and there' but it will remain mostly dry for dawn services, with rainfall later in the day, according to the bureau. The weather will dip to cooler temperatures over the weekend, with a moderate chance of showers and a high of 18 degrees forecast for Saturday and Sunday. He recommended Australians planning their long weekend visit the BoM weather app, or the bureau's social media for the most up-to-date information. 'Make sure you check the radar before you head out to see if you'll need a brolly,' said Narramore.
The Guardian
21-04-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
How a deadly confluence of factors led to a ‘terrible and traumatic' Easter weekend on Australian beaches
'Terrible and traumatic,' is how the Surf Life Saving New South Wales chief, Steven Pearce, summed up what has been declared the deadliest Easter long weekend on record, well before it was even over. Seven people across NSW and Victoria were confirmed to have drowned by the morning of Easter Monday, and while the fatal heavy seas had returned to largely normal levels, crews were still searching for two people missing since Good Friday. The tragedies occurred at different beaches across the east coast of Australia, and while most involved alarmingly large waves sweeping swimmers or fishers off rocks, their varying circumstances were the result of a deadly confluence of factors. Authorities have blamed what they call a perfect storm for beach fatalities: a low-pressure system generating hazardous surf; unseasonably warm and sunny weather; and risky behaviour when much of the nation was enjoying a long weekend. Dean Narramore, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said the writing was on the wall early on Friday. 'The main driver was a very deep and intense low-pressure system west of New Zealand, that combined with an upper level low,' he told Guardian Australia. That generated strong winds, which drove the large swells. 'The energy moved westwards,' Narramore said, with some swells refracted to eastern Victoria. At the same time, a high-pressure system over eastern Australia brought warm northerly winds, with temperatures 5-10C above average. 'There was plenty of sunshine, and all of that combined with the Easter long weekend meant a lot of people were heading out to the beach,' Narramore said. By mid-morning, images began swirling online of violent waves at some of NSW's most famous beaches, with surging seas crashing on to roads and into shop fronts. Wave heights exceeded five metres. In Sydney, with temperatures reaching the mid-20s, even beaches within the city's harbour, which are traditionally calm and protected from coastal swells, were closed. Sign up for the Afternoon Update: Election 2025 email newsletter The closures did not stop everyone. Surfers were seen riding waves at the usually waveless Balmoral and Nielsen Park beaches. At the coastal beach of Coogee, swimmers and surfers defied closures. At Manly's Queenscliff beach, footage circulated of swimmers gripping to handlebars before being swept from its ocean pool. In Newcastle, ferocious waves reached well past the beach, with wheelie bins seen dragged into the water. Within hours, details of the first drownings were announced by authorities. A 58-year-old man had been washed off a break wall at Wollongong harbour early on Friday as he walked to a fishing spot. Family members jumped in but failed to save him. Later, at Middle Head Point on Sydney's north shore, a man was washed off rocks and drowned. By the late afternoon, a young man was 'extricated from the water face down' at Eden, on the far south coast of NSW, after being washed off rocks. In Victoria, three Chinese nationals at San Remo beach near Phillip Island were swept into the sea. One woman was rescued, but another was pulled from the water unconscious and could not be revived. Her 41-year-old husband could not be located. 'Every drowning is a tragedy, and this is an absolutely tragic start to the Easter long weekend,' Pearce said on Friday night, as search teams looked for a swimmer who went missing from Sydney's Little Bay beach, last seen struggling in the swell in the mid-afternoon. Sign up to Afternoon Update: Election 2025 Our Australian afternoon update breaks down the key election campaign stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Despite Pearce's warnings, things would only get worse. While wave heights eased slightly on Saturday, to between two and four metres, conditions remained hazardous and many beaches were closed. Two people rock fishing at Tathra, on the NSW south coast, were swept into the ocean. One returned conscious and breathing. The other was later found dead. On Sunday morning, another two rock fishers braved conditions, this time at Wattamolla, just south of Sydney. They were swept off rocks, with the Westpac helicopter called in to save them. They were both retrieved, with one pronounced dead at the scene. Later that day, a nine-year-old boy became trapped between rocks at a beach on the NSW mid north coast. Distraught witnesses told the Daily Telegraph how the parents of the boy, trapped from the chest, were unable to free him. They held his hand and spoke to him, but as tides rose, he ultimately drowned. Meanwhile, more than 150 rescues were made by volunteer and professional lifesavers across NSW, with an alarming number of near misses. Rescue helicopters had performed 30 missions by Monday morning. By Monday afternoon, once swells had returned to near normal levels, Victorian authorities called off the search for the missing 41-year-old Chinese national. It brought the death toll from the long weekend to eight, as searches continued for the swimmer missing off Sydney's Little Bay beach. Pearce said the outcome was devastating for volunteer surf lifesavers, but predictable. 'There's no other description I would have to say for such a religious weekend this has been absolutely horrific,' he said. '[It's] just the culmination of hot temperatures, a long weekend, hundreds of thousands of people going to the coastline and an enormous swell.' Every fatality that surf lifesavers responded to in NSW related to someone being washed off a rock. With the long weekend over, Pearce was wary of the coming Anzac Day long weekend, despite rain predicted. 'Our volunteer lifesavers and our lifeguards have risked their lives multitudes of times.' He urged swimmers to only enter the water at patrolled beaches. 'If there is no red and yellow flags flying, there will be no one there … that can possibly save you.'
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Full Easter weekend weather forecast state by state
The much-anticipated Easter break is just days away, with Australians gearing up for an extra-long weekend. Fresh data has revealed many are planning on travelling domestically these holidays, opting to take road trips in their own state. As is normally the case with big countries like Australia, varying weather is known to bring dramatic shifts in conditions, with extreme temperature changes and unpredictable storms. Ahead of the break, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) shared what's in store for Easter with Yahoo News Australia. The BoM's Senior Meteorologists, Angus Hines and Dean Narramore, warn conditions will remain relatively mixed across the four-day break. NSW is likely to enjoy one of the more pleasant outlooks over Easter. Hines said that most of the east and south of the country — including NSW — should see warm and sunny conditions on Good Friday. However, a developing low-pressure system later in the weekend could bring a turn in the weather. "By Easter Sunday and Monday, we could see that low bring cooler, wetter and cloudier conditions into parts of NSW," Hines explained. The timing and intensity of that system remain uncertain, so those making long weekend plans should stay across forecast updates. It's a fairly settled outlook for Queensland — at least for now. Hines noted that much of the state should remain dry and warm to start the long weekend. However, there's some tropical activity brewing. "There is potential for another tropical system to develop north of the Gulf of Carpentaria in the next few days," Hines said, which could bring heavy rain to the Gulf Coast during the first half of the weekend. That could affect parts of northern Queensland, although the coastal southeast is expected to remain relatively dry and calm. Narramore also flagged the possibility of "a couple of coastal showers", but for most inland areas, sunshine should dominate. A dramatic change is on the cards for Victoria. While the lead-up to Easter has been warm, dry and sunny, conditions are expected to shift sharply. Hines said the cold front impacting WA on Friday will move through the Great Australian Bight on Saturday, reaching Victoria by Saturday evening or early Easter Sunday. "We're expecting a change to much cooler weather, much cloudier weather, and there'll be some showers moving through as well," he said. Narramore added that timing will be key — an earlier front would mean a wetter Friday, while a delay could bring a better start to the weekend. Much like Victoria, South Australia will see a stark change midway through the long weekend. Hines said a cold front will begin pushing into the state from Saturday, following a hot and dry lead-up. "Any rain they can get will be welcomely received," he said, referring to the drought conditions affecting much of SA. However, rainfall totals are not expected to be high. Gusty winds and cooler temperatures are also in the mix. Narramore earlier confirmed that the southern parts of SA will be the first to feel the front's arrival, while northern and inland areas should stay mostly dry. Travellers warned of looming chaos Millions issued stark warning ahead of huge surge on roads Photos capture once-in-a-century event in coastal town Tasmania's weather is closely tied to the system sweeping across southern Australia this Easter. According to Hines, the cold front arriving on Saturday will extend to Tasmania, bringing much cooler temperatures, cloud cover and showers. He warned the weather may worsen into Sunday and Monday if a low-pressure system develops over the southeast. Narramore also flagged a similar pattern, noting that fast-moving fronts could lead to sharp shifts in conditions across the weekend. Good Friday will bring some cooler air and showers to southern parts of WA, but nothing too intense. Hines said, "we're not looking at heavy rainfall at this stage." The bigger story is unfolding off the northern WA coast, where a tropical low is expected to strengthen into a cyclone between Tuesday and Thursday. "It could become a category one to three cyclone," Hines said, though it's forecast to remain hundreds of kilometres offshore — at least through the early part of the Easter break. He noted there is a chance the system could drift closer to the Pilbara or Kimberley later in the week. "Nothing to be alarmed about yet," he added, "but do keep an eye on the forecast." The Top End is another area to watch closely, especially in relation to the potential tropical system in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Hines said that if the system does form, "it could bring some heavy rain onto the Gulf Coast," possibly impacting the NT coastline during the first half of the weekend. Outside of that, much of the Territory is expected to remain fairly dry and settled — though residents and travellers should stay weather-aware. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘Prepare now': Tropical cyclone warning
Australians have been urged to 'prepare now', as a tropical cyclone is expected to develop off the West Australian coast over the weekend. Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said cyclone watches were put in place from the Berkeley River mouth to Cockatoo Island and 'everywhere in between', including much of the northern Kimberley coastline. Mr Narramore said a tropical low northwest of Darwin was likely to intensify through Friday and into Saturday. It's set to develop into a category 1 system before intensifying as it moves southwest on Sunday and passes north of the Kimberley. He anticipated gales would develop over the next 24-48 hours across coastal areas and islands. 'Of course, if it does move closer to the coastline, we'll have bigger impacts along the coast, where if it is further away it will have less impact,' Mr Narramore said. 'So if you know anyone that lives on the coast or you do yourself, make sure you stay up to date with the latest forecast and warnings there.' The tropical cyclone could intensify into a category 2 system through Sunday and Monday, with a chance it could develop into a category 3 system moving into Tuesday and Wednesday. A cyclone advice warning was issued by Emergency WA on Friday morning, urging residents in areas across Cockatoo Island to Berkeley River – including the Kimberley coastal islands – to 'prepare now'. 'Although there is no immediate danger you need to start preparing for dangerous weather and keep up to date,' the alert stated. Residents were advised to prepare their homes 'inside and out', including by securing boats, caravans, trailers, garden sheds, outdoor furniture, rainwater tanks, LPG bottles, loose material and rubbish. 'Ensure your emergency kit is complete and check your family knows what to do. Your emergency kit should include canned food and water to last five to seven days, a first aid kit, medication, cash and a battery-operated radio and spare batteries to listen to warnings,' the alert stated. People are also urged to monitor the Emergency WA website and know the cyclone warning levels and relevant steps that must be taken at each level. Mr Narramore said the cyclone watch areas could be extended further south over the weekend as well as further into next week. Showers and storms could be experienced across the top end of the Kimberley as a result as well as isolated heavy showers or thunderstorms along the northern Kimberley coast. 'As we get through Saturday that's when it's going to be closest to the Kimberley coast and that's where we could see those bursts of heavier rainfall and gusty winds, but that's highly dependent on the exact track and intensity of this tropical low,' Mr Narramore said. 'We could see widespread falls of 50mm up to 100mm with any thunderstorms and for our coastal locations around the top end and the Kimberley coast.' As of Friday morning, the tropical low 29U is slow moving with sustained winds of 55km/h and wind gusts of 85km/h. Gales with damaging wind gusts and heavy rainfall could develop between Kuri Bay and Berkeley River mouth on Saturday night, according to a Bureau of Meteorology alert. The gales could also develop between Cockatoo Island and Kuri Bay on Sunday morning, while the rain could extend and persist between Cockatoo Island and Berkeley River mouth on Sunday. The forecast comes just more than a month after communities in Queensland and northern NSW were hit with significant damage by Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Alfred was downgraded to a tropical low as it approached the mainland on March 8; however, the system still managed to cause significant damage, with fierce winds ripping up homes and trees and heavy rainfall causing dangerous flash flooding across South East Queensland and northern NSW.
