'Thrashing down': Severe weather warning in place as NSW hit with wild conditions

A severe weather warning has been issued for the NSW coast with damaging winds and large surf forecast.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the coastal fringe of the Illawarra, Sydney Metropolitan, Hunter and Mid North Coast areas can expect damaging winds averaging 55-65km/h on Tuesday with peak gusts of up to 90km/h.

The bureau’s meteorologist Diana Eadie said a low in the Tasman Sea is bringing “wet and windy conditions and large waves to the NSW Coast”.

“Hazardous conditions will continue through the week even once the low moves away and the wind and rain begin to settle,” she said.

ABC News reporter Matt Bevan tweeted Tuesday morning that it was “thrashing down” in Newcastle with the town experiencing heavy rainfall.

NSW SES said on Tuesday morning it has received more than 150 jobs across the state since midnight Sunday.

The SES encouraged people to park cars undercover and away from trees, and for people to plan ahead if travelling.

Joel Wiseman, director of lifesaving at Surf Life Saving NSW, called surf conditions “extremely dangerous”.

“During this extreme weather event we urge members of the public to stay away from the coastline and not to engage in risky coastal activities,” he said.

“If people put themselves in danger in these extreme conditions, there’s a real possibility that lifesavers will not be able to save them.”

Mr Wiseman added the forecast low pressure system will produce high winds, damaging surf with significant wave height and “substantial” rainfall.

Up to 20mm is forecast to fall in Sydney on Tuesday.

The south coast has already been battered by rain with Angeldale near the state border receiving 69mm in the past 24 hours.

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