Coastal and central communities in NSW are bracing for potential flooding with multiple severe weather warnings in place on the eve of a public holiday.
Showers are forecast to spread from western NSW across most of the state from Wednesday and through to Thursday, the National Day of Mourning, as a low pressure system brings widespread, moderate rainfall.
Showers are likely to concentrate around the coast towards the later part of the week, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
The worst of the rainfall is expected inland on the Central West and North West Slopes and Plains on Wednesday, with possible flooding of inland river catchments.
Those falls will hit the Central West Slopes and Plains and Riverina Regions, with six-hourly totals up to 70mm expected, causing a risk of possible flash flooding.
Towns potentially affected include Dubbo, Parkes, Wellington, Coonamble, Gilgandra and Peak Hill.
Many catchments in the north west, central west and south west are already dealing with flooding after heavy falls in recent weeks saturated catchments and filled dams.
People in Gunnedah in the northwest have already been hit with their third flood in a year with the State Emergency Service saying water inundated five houses on the weekend when the Namoi River peaked at just over eight metres.
From Thursday, flooding is also forecast for coastal catchments as rain heads east, including at the Mid North Coast, the Colo and Lower Hunter Rivers and Wollombi Creek.
Renewed minor to major flooding is forecast for a number of catchments in the regions, where grounds are similarly saturated.
The SES has urged people living in the warning zones to prepare for potential flash flooding.
Residents from the Coffs Coast, Kempsey, Nambucca, the Hastings, as well as people further south at Coutts Crossing and the Upper Hunter should prepare for rising waters, and monitor for road closures in their areas.
“NSW river catchments remain wet at present, and any storm or weather event can lead to flash flooding very quickly,” SES Superintendent Joanna Jones said.
She urged people not to enter flood waters and to update their emergency plans.
People living in inland NSW should prepare to leave homes that could be inundated, and move pets and livestock to safe higher ground, she added.
By Phoebe Loomes and Jack Gramenz in Sydney
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