In Pictures: Sydney’s Storms

A huge storm has lashed Sydney causing major problems in and around the city.

The severe weather forced flights to be diverted, roads to be closed and uprooted trees.

Torrential rain triggered flooding in and around the city. Ulladulla, just to the south of Sydney, reported 171 mm of rain in just 2 days. Sydney itself reported 70 mm, not far below the monthly average of 83mm.

The flooding rendered many roads impassable and stranded a Canberra to Sydney train, meaning dozens of people had to be evacuated.

The winds were also an issue, with a gust of 161 kph recorded at Wattamolla. These winds ripped down trees and powerlines, which blocked a number of roads.

As the storm raged, over 40,000 homes and businesses were left without power and dozens of people had to be rescued from rising floodwaters after becoming trapped in their cars and homes.

The storm coated the Blue Mountains in heavy snow. This is of stark contrast to the conditions which gripped the region at this time of year in 2013, when the state was dealing with the worst bushfires since the 1960s.

Approximately 20cm of snow was reported in some locations, including Oberon. This turned driving conditions treacherous and causedthree power stations to lose power.

The winds are gradually now easing across the region, and should continue to do so into Thursday afternoon.