Warnings

Severe Weather Warning (Damaging Winds) Snowy Mountains & Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands, S Tablelands, ACT & South West Slopes Wed 27 Aug 2025

Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology
New South Wales

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Weather Warning 
for Damaging Winds

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

Issued at 10:55 am Wednesday, 27 August 2025.

Damaging winds across southeastern parts of the state. Blizzards possible for alpine areas.

Weather Situation
A vigorous west to northwesterly airstream will develop over parts of the southeast of the state as a series of cold fronts crosses the region, with blizzards possible over the alpine peaks.
DAMAGING WINDS for the following areas:
Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains and Australian Capital Territory
For ALPINE AREAS above 1900 metres:
 DAMAGING NORTHWESTERLY WINDS averaging 80 to 90 km/h are expected from Wednesday morning to Friday night. Winds may briefly drop below warning thresholds between late Wednesday night and Thursday morning.
 For SOUTH EASTERN AREAS above 1200 metres:
 Westerly winds averaging 50 to 60 km/h with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS of around 100 km/h are likely about parts of the Snowy Mountains, Southern Tablelands, Australian Capital Territory and South Coast from Wednesday morning until late Wednesday night.
 For parts of the the ILLAWARRA, including WOLLONGONG:
 Strong westerly winds averaging 50 to 60 km/h with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS of around 90 km/h are possible from late Wednesday afternoon, easing during Thursday morning.
 For parts of the BLUE MOUNTAINS:
 Northwesterly winds averaging 50 to 60 km/h with DAMAGING WIND GUSTS of around 90 km/h have eased for now but are possible again from Thursday morning until late Thursday afternoon.
 BLIZZARD conditions are forecast for parts of the Snowy Mountains district above 1600m, lowering to 1200 metres come late Wednesday afternoon.
 The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service recommends that back country travel be postponed until conditions improve.
 Locations which may be affected include Wollongong, Bowral, Katoomba, Cooma, Kiama, Mount Ginini, Jindabyne, Thredbo and Adaminaby.

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 5:00 pm AEST Wednesday.
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.