The South Coast has been battered overnight by the wild weather of a South Coast Low, with Shoalhaven SES responding to 140 calls for help and a thousands of houses suffering power outages.
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A severe weather warning for damaging winds and damaging surf remains in place for the Shoalhaven, however conditions are expected to ease today (Wednesday).
Shoalhaven SES volunteer units did a mighty job to respond to the calls received for help during Tuesday afternoon storm, which continued well into the night.
The SES, from 9am Tuesday, responded to 140 calls for assistance for jobs including water over roads, leaking roofs, trees down and securing trampolines.
A collective force of around 50 SES volunteers were out and about answering calls for assistance.
As of midnight Tuesday night, they had responded to 100 of those jobs.
Today [Wednesday] volunteers had 40 jobs left with more rolling in.
This morning, around 20 volunteers were on the ground with more getting ready to join them after a well-deserved rest.
The area they covered was from Berry in the north and down to Bawley Point in the south.
Local SES Commander Adam Carney said the Bay and Basin area was hit particularly hard.
Half of the jobs the SES responded to were in the Sanctuary Point and St Georges Basin areas.
Today crews from the Ulladulla SES headed up to help with the clean-up in the Bay and Basin area.
Mr Carney said the Rural Fire Service, Fire Rescue NSW and Shoalhaven City Council were helping with the clean-up operation.
The Local SES Commander said the volunteers once again did an excellent job.
"It's pleasing to see the volunteers being prepared to head out from their families to help people in need," he said.
If you require NSW SES assistance call 132500 Iand in a life-threatening situation call triple zero 000.
SES warning
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 eight 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.
Power outages
Thousands of homes on the South Coast sufferd power outages, with Vincentia experiencing the highest number of outages.
Endeavour Energy regional development manager South Coast Janine Cullen said work is starting this morning [Wednesday] to restore power to the remaining 5,800 customers affected by last night's ferocious storm.
At its height, winds of up to 130 kilometres per hour brought down trees and branches over powerlines, causing more than 300 electrical hazards and interrupting supply to 18,000 homes and businesses.
"If there is no further bad weather today, we are confident that all customers will have their power back tonight," said Mrs Cullen.
Number of houses currently without power [Wednesay August 25, 10am]:
- Shoalhaven - Vincentia (1988), Jamberoo (874), Sanctuary Point (214), Wandandian (169), Warrawong (148), Berry (110), Callala Bay (95), Beaumont (67), Curramore (57)
- Illawarra - Lake Heights (271), Albion Park (146), Primbee (67)
- Blue Mountains - Blaxland (695), Glenbrook (141), Warrimoo (117), Yellow Rock (65)
- Southern Highlands - Robertson (99).
Tips:
- Stay at least 8 metres from fallen powerlines and call Endeavour Energy on 131 003 to report.
- Report outages online at www.endeavourenergy.com.au/reportOutages/webengine/au/com/ee/forms/PowerOutageReporting.
- Check estimated restoration times by entering your suburb into the power outage application on our website www.endeavourenergy.com.au/outages/current-power-outages.
See www.endeavourenergy.com.au/outages/what-to-do-if-youre-without-power for safety tips and what to do if you are without power.
Wild weather
Large parts of the South Coast were hit by the East Coast Low.
To the north Kiama recorded 55 millimetres of rain overnight and 28.6mm to 9am Tuesday.
The area recorded a number of wind gusts over 100km/h with one at 139km recorded around 7.15pm Tuesday and another at 113km at 6.20pm.
Nowra has recorded 50.2mm of rain, along with 32.8 to 9am Tuesday, although some areas east of Nowra recorded significantly higher rainfall.
Winds constantly blew in the 40-50km/h range with a gust of 91km recorded at 7.30pm and a number of others over 80km/h.
Nowra shivered through a cold night, although the temperature was between 8-9 degrees it actually felt like at one stage -3 at 7pm.
In fact, the temperature felt like in the minuses from around 6pm into the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Out on the coast, Point Perpendicular recorded 61mm of rain, and 53mm to 9am Tuesday.
The wind was constantly between 50-70km/h with a top gust of 124km/h at 4.41pm and 104km/h at 8pm, with a number of others over 100km/h and in the 90km/h range.
Ulladulla also shivered through a cold afternoon and night, with the temperature around 9 degrees and again for a long period the temperature actually felt in the minuses.
At 9.20pm the 9.8 degrees actually felt like -1.5.
Ulladulla recorded 39.4mm of rain overnight with 41mm falling to 9am Tuesday.
The area recorded a top wind gust of 100km/h at 5.06am with other readings in the 90s throughout the afternoon and night.
Severe weather warning
The Bureau of Meteorology again issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds and damaging surf for the South Coast forecast districts.
A transient low pressure system off the central NSW coast is slowly moving eastwards.
It is expected to remain offshore and to continue tracking slowly east over the coming days, generating vigorous winds and seas over the central and southern coastline.
Conditions are expected to ease this morning as it tracks away into the Tasman Sea.
Damaging winds, averaging 60 to 70km/h with peak gusts in excess of 90km/h are possible along the coastal fringe of the Sydney Metropolitan, Illawarra and northern parts of the South Coast districts.
Winds are expected to gradually ease below gale or damaging wind thresholds during Wednesday morning as the low slowly tracks into the Tasman Sea.
Damaging surf with significant wave height in excess of five to six metres, which may lead to localised damage and coastal erosion, is expected through the warning area, and is likely to continue through Wednesday.
Surf zones exposed to the south and southeast are at highest risk.
Beach conditions in these areas could be dangerous and people are advised to stay well away from the surf and surf exposed areas.
Locations which may be affected include Wollongong, Kiama, Huskisson, Ulladulla, Batemans Bay and Eden.