Forecast

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
New South Wales

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Weather Warning
for Damaging Winds

for Illawarra, South Coast, Snowy Mountains and parts of Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and Australian Capital Territory Forecast Districts.

Issued at 4:46 pm Tuesday, 21 October 2025.

Damaging winds developing early Wednesday morning.

Weather Situation
A frontal system moving across NSW on Wednesday will lead to a hot and gusty day across much of the state. Strengthening north to northwesterly winds across the elevated topography and in the east during the early morning will shift more westerly and extend to the southeast during the afternoon and evening. Conditions will ease sometime in the late evening or early Thursday morning.
DAMAGING WINDS for the following areas:
Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains and Australian Capital Territory
For the CENTRAL RANGES and COASTAL PARTS of the ILLAWARRA: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 55 to 65 km/h with gusts around 90 km/h are possible from early Wednesday morning, with gusts around 100 km/h likely during the afternoon.
For the SOUTHERN RANGES: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 55 to 65 km/h with gusts around 90 km/h are possible from Wednesday morning, extending to the SOUTH COAST during the afternoon and evening. Winds increasing about elevated areas to 65 to 75 km/h with peak gusts up to 110 km/h during the afternoon and evening.
For SNOWY MOUNTAINS and parts of the ACT above 1500 metres: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 60 to 70 km/h are possible.
For ALPINE AREAS above 1900 metres: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 80 to 90 km/h are possible.
Conditions begin to ease later in the evening and are expected to clear early on Thursday morning.
Locations which may be affected include Wollongong, Goulburn, Nowra, Batemans Bay, Eden, Katoomba, Mt Ginini and Thredbo.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
* Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
* Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.
* Keep at least 8 metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
* Trees that have been damaged by fire are likely to be more unstable and more likely to fall.
* Report fallen power lines to either Ausgrid (131 388), Endeavour Energy (131 003), Essential Energy (132 080) or Evoenergy (131 093) as shown on your power bill.
* Stay vigilant and monitor conditions. Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires.
* For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.

The next Severe Weather Warning will be issued by 11:00 pm AEDT Tuesday.
Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts, the Bureau's website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 210. The Bureau and State Emergency Service would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
New South Wales

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Weather Warning
for Damaging Winds

for Illawarra, South Coast, Snowy Mountains and parts of Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and Australian Capital Territory Forecast Districts.

Issued at 4:46 pm Tuesday, 21 October 2025.

Damaging winds developing early Wednesday morning.

Weather Situation
A frontal system moving across NSW on Wednesday will lead to a hot and gusty day across much of the state. Strengthening north to northwesterly winds across the elevated topography and in the east during the early morning will shift more westerly and extend to the southeast during the afternoon and evening. Conditions will ease sometime in the late evening or early Thursday morning.
DAMAGING WINDS for the following areas:
Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains and Australian Capital Territory
For the CENTRAL RANGES and COASTAL PARTS of the ILLAWARRA: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 55 to 65 km/h with gusts around 90 km/h are possible from early Wednesday morning, with gusts around 100 km/h likely during the afternoon.
For the SOUTHERN RANGES: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 55 to 65 km/h with gusts around 90 km/h are possible from Wednesday morning, extending to the SOUTH COAST during the afternoon and evening. Winds increasing about elevated areas to 65 to 75 km/h with peak gusts up to 110 km/h during the afternoon and evening.
For SNOWY MOUNTAINS and parts of the ACT above 1500 metres: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 60 to 70 km/h are possible.
For ALPINE AREAS above 1900 metres: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 80 to 90 km/h are possible.
Conditions begin to ease later in the evening and are expected to clear early on Thursday morning.
Locations which may be affected include Wollongong, Goulburn, Nowra, Batemans Bay, Eden, Katoomba, Mt Ginini and Thredbo.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
* Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
* Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.
* Keep at least 8 metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
* Trees that have been damaged by fire are likely to be more unstable and more likely to fall.
* Report fallen power lines to either Ausgrid (131 388), Endeavour Energy (131 003), Essential Energy (132 080) or Evoenergy (131 093) as shown on your power bill.
* Stay vigilant and monitor conditions. Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires.
* For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.

The next Severe Weather Warning will be issued by 11:00 pm AEDT Tuesday.
Warnings are also available through TV and Radio broadcasts, the Bureau's website at www.bom.gov.au or call 1300 659 210. The Bureau and State Emergency Service would appreciate warnings being broadcast regularly.

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
New South Wales

Fire Weather Warning

for Greater Hunter, Greater Sydney Region, Illawarra/Shoalhaven and Upper Central West Plains fire weather districts

Issued at 04:04 PM EDT on Tuesday 21 October 2025

Weather Situation
Hot conditions in combination with strong and gusty winds will result in extreme fire danger over the Greater Sydney, Greater Hunter, Illawarra/Shoalhaven and the Upper Central West Plains fire weather districts on Wednesday. West to northwesterly winds will shift west to southwesterly across the west and south during the day. Thunderstorms are possible with strong and potentially damaging wind gusts.

For Wednesday 22 October:
Extreme Fire Danger for the following areas:
Greater Hunter, Greater Sydney Region, Illawarra/Shoalhaven and Upper Central West Plains

The NSW Rural Fire Service advises you to:
Action your Bushfire Survival Plan now.
Monitor the fire and weather situation through your local radio station, www.rfs.nsw.gov.au and www.bom.gov.au.
Call 000 (Triple Zero) in an emergency.

For information on preparing for bushfires go to www.rfs.nsw.gov.au.
The next warning will be issued by 5:00 am EDT Wednesday.