A large gum tree fell on a house at Bounty Avenue, Castle Hill. Picture: Bill Hearne Source: News Limited
RAINFALL records were being broken across New South Wales after a vicious storm overnight was followed with more of the same today.
Many areas of the state, particularly the Hunter Valley, were drenched and winds made conditions hazardous for people on the move.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the low pressure system off the central coast which caused havoc this weekend is expected to weaken only after a trough set to sweep across NSW on Thursday.
But an annual rainfall record was broken at the Paterson Post Office metre which registered 214.6mm of rain.
Monthly records were also broken in nearby Williamtown (155mm), Newcastle Nobbys Head (124mm) and Cooranbong (126mm).
Large ocean swell crashing against the rocks at Vaucluse today. Photo: Scoopshot / Eddie Cendron Source: DailyTelegraph
"It's record breaking rainfall for the Hunter region," Katarina Kovacevic, forecaster from Bureau of Meteorology, said.
Avalon recorded 189mm of rainfall while Hornsby recorded 142mm in the 72 hours up until Monday.
Visibility was poor this afternoon with heavy rain on the Northern Beaches, stomachs were being severely tested on ferry journeys to and from Manly.
And Hornsby was hit by a mini-cyclone, which tore shreds off a local shopping centre and brought down trees. At least eight people were injured.
Flooding has also forced the closure of the rail line linking Newcastle with Maitland and the Upper Hunter.
Buses have replaced trains between Broadmeadow and Thornton - one of the region's busiest stretches for train commuters - due to track flooding at Sandgate.
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Elsewhere in the state, one man is dead and five people taken to hospital after a four-car crash in wet conditions on Muir Rd, Greenacre, outside the Bankstown Motel 10.
The male passenger, 18, of a Mitsubishi Lancer, died at the scene and five people were taken to hospital with various injuries.
And fans of American rockers Kings Of Leon have been spared a soggy celebration of their return to Australia.
The band's scheduled gig on Sydney Harbour has been rescheduled to tomorrow as gales and constant rain hampered preparations for the special concert to be filmed for Channel V
The wreckage of vehicles including two performance cars strewn across the Hume Highway, Greenacre. Photo: Bill Hearne Source: News Limited
SES spokeswoman Sue Pritchard said Byron Bay Hospital and a nursing home were damaged by the severe hailstorm, with 40 calls for help following Saturday's storm.
"They got smashed," she said.
The beach town resembled the scene of a Christmas fairytale, with the famous Beach Hotel's typically packed beachfront beer garden deserted as it was blanketed with hail the size of golf balls.
The SES said last night it had had more than 1200 calls for help since Friday. More than 30mm of rain fell in Sydney from 9pm to 10pm on Saturday night.
The windy and soggy conditions led to a large gumtree falling on top of a home in Sydney's north-west.
People walk under umbrellas as they stroll through Hyde Park. Picture Cameron Richardson Source: News Limited
The State Emergency Service cut up the tree after it landed on the home causing a serious amount of damage about 10.25pm last night. The SES began cutting up the tree and rendered the area safe.
Yesterday the Central Coast bore the brunt of the rain with 45mm falling at Norah Head, while Gosford had 24mm and Newcastle 27mm, from 9am to 7pm. In Sydney, Terrey Hills had 16mm and the city 10mm.
Your three-day forecast: wet, wet, wet. Source: Supplied
Flooded yard in Killarney Vale. Photo: Scoopshot / Justine Grainger Source: Supplied
Low cloud at Pacific Highway, Karuah. Photo: Scoopshot / Debbie Taylor Source: Supplied
A severe hail storm lashed the Coffs Harbour suburb of Toormina. Source: Supplied
They included six calls to flooded homes shortly after a torrential downpour about 3am today.
"Leaking roofs have been the main thing but we're now getting reports of trees coming down," he said.
"You get the wet weather, the wind comes along and it starts to blow trees down - that's the natural progression of it."
The hail stones which came down across Coffs Harbour. Picture: Frank Redward Source: Supplied
The city's SES headquarters in Tighes Hill have not been immune to the rain, with major access headaches due to local flash-flooding and the closure of Industrial Dr, a main arterial road which goes past the site.
Ms Kovacevic said it had been the wettest start to November in Sydney since 1987. The wet conditions follow the eighth driest October on record for NSW.
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