The strongest and most damaging winds in years have finally eased across southeastern states, allowing residents and emergency services to clean up. Over the weekend damaging winds affected a large area of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide. They were strong enough to tear off roofs and fell large trees and powerlines from Saturday afternoon to Sunday morning. Significant wind damage occurred in the Illawarra and South Coast, one of the windiest parts of the country. Gusts as strong as 126 km/h hit Bellambi, on the Wollongong coast, the strongest recorded there in six years. Also in Wollongong, Albion Park recorded its strongest winds in four years, peaking at 109km/h at 9am Sunday. The strongest winds in four years also hit Ulladulla in the South Coast and Sale in Gippsland Victoria, reaching 104 km/h. Wind exceeded 130 km/h on the Alps, 100 km/h in Melbourne, Warrnambool, Hindmarsh Island and Stenhouse Bay and 95 km/h in Adelaide. The offending low which also helped bring heavy rain to a large area of the country is now southeast of Tasmania and heading further southeast, which is causing wind to ease further.