Torrential rain and flash floods hit Sydney as massive storms roll across NSW and eastern Victoria | Australia weather

Thunderstorms across New South Wales and eastern Victoria on Monday have brought flash flooding, destructive winds and hail, as the Bureau of Meteorology warns severe conditions will continue.

A major storm rolled across the Sydney CBD around midday on Monday, bringing dark skies and heavy rainfall. The city had recorded 40.6mm of rain at Observatory Hill since 9am, according to the Bom.

Soon after midday, the NSW State Emergency Service advised people to stay indoors due to heavy rainfall affecting a number of Sydney suburbs, including Hornsby, Parramatta, Sydney Olympic, Sydney City, Sydney Airport, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Gosford, Mona Vale, Bondi Beach, Maroubra Beach and Terrigal.

By around 1.30pm, the warning had been downgraded, but residents were advised to drive slowly, and to stay clear of fallen trees, power lines and any damaged buildings.

Senior meteorologist Jonathan How had said earlier there was potential for damaging to destructive winds and giant hail throughout the day.

“We have seen some high rainfall totals starting to build with those storms pushing through,” he said, with “plenty more showers to come”.

Severe thunderstorms brought 2–6cm hail in Boorowa. Harden and Temora.

“The risk is not over yet,” senior meteorologist, Miriam Bradbury warned early on Monday afternoon.

Areas to the west of the NSW ranges were due to “high end severe thunderstorms” on Monday. These “very dangerous” systems were predicted to bring destructive wind gusts of up to 125km/h.

In the 24 hours to 9am on Monday, rainfall totals reached 89mm in Murrumburrah, north of Gundagai. Coonabarabran recorded 61mm overnight, while 43mm of rain was observed at Gunnedah, and 54mm at Mount Palmer, in the Hunter.

How advised people in central and eastern NSW and eastern Victoria to keep an eye on the radar and stay up-to-date with warnings from the weather bureau, state emergency services and authorities.

On Monday morning, the State Emergency Service in NSW was advising people in Bowral, Orange, Bathurst, Katoomba, Forbes and Cowra to stay indoors.

The bureau issued a severe weather warning for the NSW south coast, including Batemans Bay, Eden, Bega, Moruya and Merimbula.

In Victoria, heavy rainfall would continue over east Gippsland, How said, with the potential for severe thunderstorms across the north-eastern parts of the state. Thunderstorms could also reach Melbourne’s outer suburbs by Monday afternoon.

A severe thunderstorm warning for “heavy to intense rainfall” was issued by VicEmergency for parts of Gippsland, including Sale, Maffra, Bairnsdale, Orbost, Buchan and Mallacoota.

Orbost, in Victoria’s Gippsland region, recorded 101mm in the 24 hours to Monday.

Wet conditions were expected to linger on Tuesday in eastern NSW, with drier conditions expected on Thursday and Friday.