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Intense rain, large waves and powerful winds are lashing eastern NSW as a deep low pressure trough lingers near the coast, with a dynamic week ahead.
The satellite loop below shows cloud, rain and thunderstorms streaming over eastern NSW on Monday, focussed on the areas around Newcastle and the Hunter Valley.
<a href="https://www.weatherzone.com/au/app?utm_source=website&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=20250519_news_rain-waves-and-gales-smashing-eastern-nsw"><img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/twc/Weatherzone%20app%20-%20Newcastle%20NSW%20-%20Radar%20Rainfall%20Lightning%20-%20May%2019%202025%20-%20845am%20to%20945am.gif" alt="" width="1080" height="1350" /></a>
Video: Radar on the <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com/au/app?utm_source=website&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=20250519_news_rain-waves-and-gales-smashing-eastern-nsw">Weatherzone app</a> for Newcastle, NSW, featuring cloud (white), rain (green) and lightning (purple).
Extending up into the atmosphere is a pool of cold air over northeastern NSW which is enhancing a deep stream of moist easterly winds coming off the very warm waters of the Tasman Sea. This synoptic situation will remain slow moving through the mid-week period, bringing intense and hazardous weather.
<h2>Gales and damaging winds</h2>
Overnight into Monday morning, some notable recorded wind gusts over central eastern NSW included:
<ul>
<li>106km/h (sustained 87km/h) at Norah Head</li>
<li>102km/h at Wattamolla</li>
<li>95km/h at Newcastle Nobby Signal Station</li>
<li>85km/h at Kiama and Murrurundi Gap</li>
</ul>
Strong southeasterly winds will persist over Monday and into Tuesday, with sustained winds reaching 60-80km/h and wind gusts reaching 90-100km/h, as seen in the image below. Exposed coastal locations and nearby elevated peaks between about the Central Coast and Coffs Harbour will be most affected. Winds will lose some strength later into Tuesday afternoon, however, they should remain fresh and gusty into the latter half of the week.
<img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/twc/nsw_wind_20250519.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="1080" />
Image: forecast 10 metre wind gusts at 1am AEST on Tuesday, May 20.
<h2>Hazardous, large and powerful waves</h2>
The strong winds directed over coastal NSW have whipped up some wild ocean conditions on Sunday night. The Sydney waverider buoy recorded a maximum wave height of 10.1 metres at 8pm, with the significant wave height topping off at 5.1 metres. Significant wave height is the average of the largest 1/3 waves recorded over the measuring period&ndash;a value used to represent the noticeable ocean conditions for mariners. Significant wave heights exceeding 6 metres were also recorded at the Port Authority NSW buoys offshore of Port Botany and Port Newcastle.
&nbsp;<img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/twc/OneFX_Hsig_20052025.png" alt="" width="935" height="867" />
Image: OneFX significant wave height forecast for early morning on Tuesday, May 20.
As seen in the image above, large waves exceeding 4-5 metres will persist into early Tuesday, May 20. Parts of the southern Mid North Coast and Hunter coasts will be most impacted with strongest winds generating these large waves. However, coastal areas between the Illawarra and the Northern Rivers will also see large and unruly surf in the coming days before easing off from about Thursday.
<h2>Heavy and intense rainfall</h2>
The deep stream of moisture coming off the very warm Tasman Sea has brought heavy rainfall to parts of the coast between Forster and Ulladulla. As seen in the image below, 24-hour rainfall observations to 9am Monday, May 19, included widespread falls of 90-130mm over the Central Coast and Newcastle areas.
<img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/twc/9am_RainObs_19052025.png" width="700" height="856" />
Image: Accumulated rainfall over eastern NSW in the 24 hours to 9am AEST on Monday, May 19.
Heavy rain will continue to soak eastern NSW over the coming days as persistent onshore winds continue to drive moisture-laden air over the state&rsquo;s coast and ranges.
While there is some uncertainty about how far north and south the rain will spread this week, most forecast models agree that the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions will be a focus for heavy rain for several days. These areas could see 4 or 5-day rainfall accumulations reaching 300 to 400mm by Wednesday or Thursday.
Rain is also likely to reach further north and south this week, possibly spreading into parts of the Northern Rivers, Sydney Illawarra and South Coast districts, and onto parts of the adjacent ranges and tablelands. While falls in these areas are expected to be less intense than the Hunter and Mid North Coast, some places could still see heavy rain and flooding this week.
The maps below show the predicted accumulated rain this week from two different forecast models, highlighting the disagreement between various models.
<img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/twc/ecmwf_rain_20250519.png" alt="" width="1080" height="1080" />
Image: Forecast accumulates rain this week, according to the ECMWF-HRES model.
<img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/twc/gfs_rain_20250519.png" alt="" width="1080" height="1080" />
Image: Forecast accumulates rain this week, according to the GFS model.
This week&rsquo;s rain is likely to cause areas of flash flooding and riverine flooding in eastern NSW. A flood watch has been issued for parts of the Northern Rivers, Hunter and Mid North Coast, with minor to moderate flooding likely and major flooding possible. Warnings are also in place for heavy rain, damaging winds and hazardous damaging surf. Check the <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/warnings">latest warnings</a> throughout the week for the most up to date information.


Intense rain, large waves and powerful winds are lashing eastern NSW as a deep low pressure trough lingers near the coast, with a dynamic week ahead.


The satellite loop below shows cloud, rain and thunderstorms streaming over eastern NSW on Monday, focussed on the areas around Newcastle and the Hunter Valley.





Video: Radar on the Weatherzone app for Newcastle, NSW, featuring cloud (white), rain (green) and lightning (purple).


Extending up into the atmosphere is a pool of cold air over northeastern NSW which is enhancing a deep stream of moist easterly winds coming off the very warm waters of the Tasman Sea. This synoptic situation will remain slow moving through the mid-week period, bringing intense and hazardous weather.


Gales and damaging winds


Overnight into Monday morning, some notable recorded wind gusts over central eastern NSW included:




106km/h (sustained 87km/h) at Norah Head


102km/h at Wattamolla


95km/h at Newcastle Nobby Signal Station


85km/h at Kiama and Murrurundi Gap




Strong southeasterly winds will persist over Monday and into Tuesday, with sustained winds reaching 60-80km/h and wind gusts reaching 90-100km/h, as seen in the image below. Exposed coastal locations and nearby elevated peaks between about the Central Coast and Coffs Harbour will be most affected. Winds will lose some strength later into Tuesday afternoon, however, they should remain fresh and gusty into the latter half of the week.





Image: forecast 10 metre wind gusts at 1am AEST on Tuesday, May 20.


Hazardous, large and powerful waves


The strong winds directed over coastal NSW have whipped up some wild ocean conditions on Sunday night. The Sydney waverider buoy recorded a maximum wave height of 10.1 metres at 8pm, with the significant wave height topping off at 5.1 metres. Significant wave height is the average of the largest 1/3 waves recorded over the measuring period–a value used to represent the noticeable ocean conditions for mariners. Significant wave heights exceeding 6 metres were also recorded at the Port Authority NSW buoys offshore of Port Botany and Port Newcastle.


 


Image: OneFX significant wave height forecast for early morning on Tuesday, May 20.


As seen in the image above, large waves exceeding 4-5 metres will persist into early Tuesday, May 20. Parts of the southern Mid North Coast and Hunter coasts will be most impacted with strongest winds generating these large waves. However, coastal areas between the Illawarra and the Northern Rivers will also see large and unruly surf in the coming days before easing off from about Thursday.


Heavy and intense rainfall


The deep stream of moisture coming off the very warm Tasman Sea has brought heavy rainfall to parts of the coast between Forster and Ulladulla. As seen in the image below, 24-hour rainfall observations to 9am Monday, May 19, included widespread falls of 90-130mm over the Central Coast and Newcastle areas.





Image: Accumulated rainfall over eastern NSW in the 24 hours to 9am AEST on Monday, May 19.


Heavy rain will continue to soak eastern NSW over the coming days as persistent onshore winds continue to drive moisture-laden air over the state’s coast and ranges.


While there is some uncertainty about how far north and south the rain will spread this week, most forecast models agree that the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions will be a focus for heavy rain for several days. These areas could see 4 or 5-day rainfall accumulations reaching 300 to 400mm by Wednesday or Thursday.


Rain is also likely to reach further north and south this week, possibly spreading into parts of the Northern Rivers, Sydney Illawarra and South Coast districts, and onto parts of the adjacent ranges and tablelands. While falls in these areas are expected to be less intense than the Hunter and Mid North Coast, some places could still see heavy rain and flooding this week.


The maps below show the predicted accumulated rain this week from two different forecast models, highlighting the disagreement between various models.





Image: Forecast accumulates rain this week, according to the ECMWF-HRES model.





Image: Forecast accumulates rain this week, according to the GFS model.


This week’s rain is likely to cause areas of flash flooding and riverine flooding in eastern NSW. A flood watch has been issued for parts of the Northern Rivers, Hunter and Mid North Coast, with minor to moderate flooding likely and major flooding possible. Warnings are also in place for heavy rain, damaging winds and hazardous damaging surf. Check the latest warnings throughout the week for the most up to date information.


Intense rain, large waves and powerful winds are lashing eastern NSW as a deep low pressure trough lingers near the coast, with a dynamic week ahead.

Rain, waves and gales smashing eastern NSW

Temperatures plummeted below zero across a broad area of southeastern Australia overnight, with several locations recording their lowest May temperatures on record.
The severe chill was caused by clear skies and dry air in a southerly airstream after a cold front crossed over the weekend before rapidly scooting off into the Tasman Sea.
Let&rsquo;s break down some of the frigid temperatures, state by state:
<h3>Victoria</h3>
Anyone landing at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne this Monday morning would have gotten a rude shock as they exited the terminal, after the airport&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/station/SITE/86282/daily-summaries">overnight minimum of exactly zero</a>. That was the lowest May night on record at the site, where data dates back to 1970.
Temperatures were even more frigid on Melbourne&rsquo;s northeastern outskirts. The mercury in the Yarra Valley town of Coldstream plummeted below zero shortly after 10pm and stayed there until after 9am. The low of &ndash;5.3&deg;C shattered <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/station/SITE/86383/climate">the old May record</a> of &ndash;3.7&deg;C (records since 1994).
Scoresby in Melbourne&rsquo;s outer east fell to &ndash;1.5&deg;C, its <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/station/SITE/86104/climate">lowest May temperature on record</a> by more than a degree (records back to 1965).
Melbourne fell to 2&deg;C at the city&rsquo;s official <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/station/SITE/86338/daily-summaries">Olympic Park weather station</a> beside the CBD, and while that wasn&rsquo;t a May record, it was the chilliest May night in four years.
The lowest temperature in the Victorian high country was &ndash;4.8&deg;C at Mt Hotham, which meant that the minimum of &ndash;5.3&deg;C in Coldstream was Victoria&rsquo;s coldest recorded minimum.
<h3>South Australia&nbsp;</h3>
Many South Australian towns had not only their first sub-zero temperatures of the year, but record cold temperatures for May.
The state&rsquo;s low reading was &ndash;4.5&deg;C at Padthaway in the state&rsquo;s southeast, which broke the <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/station/SITE/26100/climate">old May minimum record</a> by more than a degree.
The nearby town of Keith shivered through a low of &ndash;4.1&deg;C which was also a May record, while Coonawarra&rsquo;s minimum of &ndash;3.5&deg;C was the coldest May reading in 60 years of records.
Adelaide's minimum of 3.1&deg;C was the coldest May night in 19 years.&nbsp;
<h3>New South Wales</h3>
<img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/wz/ThredboAWS.jpg" alt="" width="1240" height="675" />
Image: The weather station is located just above the top station of the Kosciuszko Chairlift (the yellow circle) at the start of the walking trail to Mt Kosciuszko. Source: <a href="https://www.thredbo.com.au/weather/snow-cams/">thredbo.com.au</a>.
Thredbo&nbsp;Top Station (pictured above) recorded the state&rsquo;s &ndash; and mainland Australia&rsquo;s &ndash; coldest overnight minimum of &ndash;6.5&deg;C.
Sydney&rsquo;s overnight minimum of 12.8&deg;C wasn&rsquo;t particularly cold due to persistent rain and showers, but it's worth noting that Sunday saw the <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/station/SITE/66214/daily-summaries">coldest maximum of 2025</a> to date with a high of just 16.4&deg;C.
<h3>Tasmania</h3>
Due to strengthening westerly winds overnight, Tasmania's lowest minimum was not on a mountain peak or in the Central Highlands, but in the state&rsquo;s East Coast forecast district, which was sheltered from the westerlies.
A very chilly &ndash;8&deg;C was recorded at <a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/station/SITE/92163/observations">Fingal</a>, a town nestled in a valley around 50km inland from the coast. While this fell just short of the town&rsquo;s May record of &ndash;8.1&deg;C, it was the coldest temperature recorded anywhere in Australia since July last year.
<h3>The ACT</h3>
Normally, Canberra figures prominently in any story about cold and frosty nights, but that is not the case this Monday, with the capital falling to a comparatively mild low of 4.9&deg;C overnight. The mercury did, however, fall to &ndash;1.9&deg;C up in the Brindabella Range at Mt Ginini.
That&rsquo;s because the national capital was under the influence of south to southeasterly winds that were strong enough and moist enough (even though no rain was recorded) to prevent the sort of cooling that occurs under a still, dry airmass.
Those southeasterly winds will fuel what is likely to be the biggest Australian weather story of the week, as extremely heavy rain lashes the NSW coastline.
But away from the east coast, further cold, frosty nights lie ahead for southeastern Australia this week, with the potential for more May minimum temperature records to tumble.


Temperatures plummeted below zero across a broad area of southeastern Australia overnight, with several locations recording their lowest May temperatures on record.


The severe chill was caused by clear skies and dry air in a southerly airstream after a cold front crossed over the weekend before rapidly scooting off into the Tasman Sea.


Let’s break down some of the frigid temperatures, state by state:


Victoria


Anyone landing at Tullamarine Airport in Melbourne this Monday morning would have gotten a rude shock as they exited the terminal, after the airport’s overnight minimum of exactly zero. That was the lowest May night on record at the site, where data dates back to 1970.


Temperatures were even more frigid on Melbourne’s northeastern outskirts. The mercury in the Yarra Valley town of Coldstream plummeted below zero shortly after 10pm and stayed there until after 9am. The low of –5.3°C shattered the old May record of –3.7°C (records since 1994).


Scoresby in Melbourne’s outer east fell to –1.5°C, its lowest May temperature on record by more than a degree (records back to 1965).


Melbourne fell to 2°C at the city’s official Olympic Park weather station beside the CBD, and while that wasn’t a May record, it was the chilliest May night in four years.


The lowest temperature in the Victorian high country was –4.8°C at Mt Hotham, which meant that the minimum of –5.3°C in Coldstream was Victoria’s coldest recorded minimum.


South Australia 


Many South Australian towns had not only their first sub-zero temperatures of the year, but record cold temperatures for May.


The state’s low reading was –4.5°C at Padthaway in the state’s southeast, which broke the old May minimum record by more than a degree.


The nearby town of Keith shivered through a low of –4.1°C which was also a May record, while Coonawarra’s minimum of –3.5°C was the coldest May reading in 60 years of records.


Adelaide's minimum of 3.1°C was the coldest May night in 19 years. 


New South Wales





Image: The weather station is located just above the top station of the Kosciuszko Chairlift (the yellow circle) at the start of the walking trail to Mt Kosciuszko. Source: thredbo.com.au.


Thredbo Top Station (pictured above) recorded the state’s – and mainland Australia’s – coldest overnight minimum of –6.5°C.


Sydney’s overnight minimum of 12.8°C wasn’t particularly cold due to persistent rain and showers, but it's worth noting that Sunday saw the coldest maximum of 2025 to date with a high of just 16.4°C.


Tasmania


Due to strengthening westerly winds overnight, Tasmania's lowest minimum was not on a mountain peak or in the Central Highlands, but in the state’s East Coast forecast district, which was sheltered from the westerlies.


A very chilly –8°C was recorded at Fingal, a town nestled in a valley around 50km inland from the coast. While this fell just short of the town’s May record of –8.1°C, it was the coldest temperature recorded anywhere in Australia since July last year.


The ACT


Normally, Canberra figures prominently in any story about cold and frosty nights, but that is not the case this Monday, with the capital falling to a comparatively mild low of 4.9°C overnight. The mercury did, however, fall to –1.9°C up in the Brindabella Range at Mt Ginini.


That’s because the national capital was under the influence of south to southeasterly winds that were strong enough and moist enough (even though no rain was recorded) to prevent the sort of cooling that occurs under a still, dry airmass.


Those southeasterly winds will fuel what is likely to be the biggest Australian weather story of the week, as extremely heavy rain lashes the NSW coastline.


But away from the east coast, further cold, frosty nights lie ahead for southeastern Australia this week, with the potential for more May minimum temperature records to tumble.


May minimum temperature records were broken in at least two states as southeastern Australia shivered through an extremely cold night.

Bitterly cold night in four states

On Friday 16th of May, a wall of dust spanning 160km swept across the state of Illinois and into Indiana. Winds around 110km/h whipped up loose farmland sediment, leading to dust plumes and road closures. Visibility dropping to zero metres,&nbsp;causing traffic accidents that resulted in&nbsp;at least 23 deaths.
A dust storm warning was issued hours before the event asking people to stay indoors unless necessary. This is only the second two dust storm warning to have ever be issued in Chicago. A dust storm of this magnitude is very rare, particularly this far north. So how did such a&nbsp;rare weather event happen?
Dust storms develop as a result of atmospheric microbursts picking up small particles and carrying them hundreds of kilometres away from their source. Such microbursts can arise from thunderstorms or frontal systems.
From midday Friday, severe thunderstorm activity began over central Illinois and persisted into the early evening.&nbsp;Due to mixing of the upper atmosphere&rsquo;s dry air with the thunderstorms, strong downward motion formed in the gaps between storms, where wind gusts between 80km/h and 110km/h were observed. It was these winds which picked up loose sediment from central state farms and transported them to the densely populated city.
The storms themselves also led to damage, with hail up to 8cm in diameter, funnel clouds and severe wind gusts also being observed.
&nbsp;<img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/May16_reports.png" alt="" width="1051" height="994" />
Fig. 1) Map of severe weather warnings across the state (gray icons are dust storm warning, yellow icons are damaging winds/wind gusts warnings, black icons are large hail warnings and red icons are funnel cloud warnings) from the NWS
Despite this event being rare for the region, dust storm season for the Northern Hemisphere is still in full swing, with optimal time being the spring to summer transition. Severe dust storm warnings are currently issued for most of Saudi Arabia as a Red Sea Trough and high pressure from the Mediterranean enhance northeasterly winds across the Peninsula. Dust storms are still possible through summer and into autumn, especially in North Africa and the Middle East, through climate trends show a peak in dust storms between April and May.&nbsp;
<img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/SA%20DS.png" alt="" width="726" height="625" />
Fig. 2) Map of severe weather warnings for dust storms across the Arabian Peninsula (orange districts have severe dust storm warnings and yellow districts have moderate dust storm warnings) from the WMO
As for North America, another bout of severe thunderstorms is forecast for the Midwest, possibly reaching southwest and central Illinois before breaking down. We may not see another rare dust storm event from this one, but Monday&rsquo;s and Tuesday&rsquo;s convective outlooks indicate enhanced severe weather risks from Nebraska down to northern Texas... an area&nbsp;commonly known as Tornado Alley.&nbsp;
<img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/day3otlk_1930.gif" alt="" width="815" height="555" />
Fig. 3) Map of Day 3 convective outlook highlighting areas of enhanced severe weather risk (orange), slight severe weather rick (yellow) and marginal severe weather risk (green), from NOAA


On Friday 16th of May, a wall of dust spanning 160km swept across the state of Illinois and into Indiana. Winds around 110km/h whipped up loose farmland sediment, leading to dust plumes and road closures. Visibility dropping to zero metres, causing traffic accidents that resulted in at least 23 deaths.


A dust storm warning was issued hours before the event asking people to stay indoors unless necessary. This is only the second two dust storm warning to have ever be issued in Chicago. A dust storm of this magnitude is very rare, particularly this far north. So how did such a rare weather event happen?


Dust storms develop as a result of atmospheric microbursts picking up small particles and carrying them hundreds of kilometres away from their source. Such microbursts can arise from thunderstorms or frontal systems.


From midday Friday, severe thunderstorm activity began over central Illinois and persisted into the early evening. Due to mixing of the upper atmosphere’s dry air with the thunderstorms, strong downward motion formed in the gaps between storms, where wind gusts between 80km/h and 110km/h were observed. It was these winds which picked up loose sediment from central state farms and transported them to the densely populated city.


The storms themselves also led to damage, with hail up to 8cm in diameter, funnel clouds and severe wind gusts also being observed.


 


Fig. 1) Map of severe weather warnings across the state (gray icons are dust storm warning, yellow icons are damaging winds/wind gusts warnings, black icons are large hail warnings and red icons are funnel cloud warnings) from the NWS


Despite this event being rare for the region, dust storm season for the Northern Hemisphere is still in full swing, with optimal time being the spring to summer transition. Severe dust storm warnings are currently issued for most of Saudi Arabia as a Red Sea Trough and high pressure from the Mediterranean enhance northeasterly winds across the Peninsula. Dust storms are still possible through summer and into autumn, especially in North Africa and the Middle East, through climate trends show a peak in dust storms between April and May. 





Fig. 2) Map of severe weather warnings for dust storms across the Arabian Peninsula (orange districts have severe dust storm warnings and yellow districts have moderate dust storm warnings) from the WMO


As for North America, another bout of severe thunderstorms is forecast for the Midwest, possibly reaching southwest and central Illinois before breaking down. We may not see another rare dust storm event from this one, but Monday’s and Tuesday’s convective outlooks indicate enhanced severe weather risks from Nebraska down to northern Texas... an area commonly known as Tornado Alley. 





Fig. 3) Map of Day 3 convective outlook highlighting areas of enhanced severe weather risk (orange), slight severe weather rick (yellow) and marginal severe weather risk (green), from NOAA


On Friday 16th May, a wall of dust spanning 160km swept across the state of Illinois and into Indiana.

How did one of Chicago's rarest extreme weather events occur? 

This morning, fog became widespread across New South Wales, plunging large areas into low visibility, including Sydney. Fog has lifted and burnt off in most areas, but is lingering well into the day in some inland places.
This morning, fog led to low visibility across large areas of New South Wales, including Sydney, and is still lingering in some inland areas.
By about 9am, fog had lifted and burnt off in most areas (mainly near the coast), and an hour or so later was still lingering in some inland places due to the calmness of the wind. At Bathurst Airport, fog lingered until about 10:30am.
In Sydney, fog was thickest in the west, as usual, but travelled from there along the Parramatta River in a conveyor belt of light winds, smothering the CBD's tall buildings.
<span class="EOP CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRest PointComment CommentHighlightRest SCXW106005583 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-color: rgba(209, 209, 209, 0.5); box-shadow: #424242 -1px 0px 0px 0px !important; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.55px; font-family: Arial, Arial_EmbeddedFont, Arial_MSFontService, sans-serif;" data-ccp-props="{"><img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/Visibility%20NSW%202025-05-17%207am.png" alt="" width="532" height="485" />
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&nbsp;
<span class="EOP CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRest PointComment CommentHighlightRest SCXW106005583 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-color: rgba(209, 209, 209, 0.5); box-shadow: #424242 -1px 0px 0px 0px !important; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.55px; font-family: Arial, Arial_EmbeddedFont, Arial_MSFontService, sans-serif;" data-ccp-props="{"><img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/Visibility%20NSW%202025-05-17%209am.png" alt="" width="527" height="482" />
<span class="EOP CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRest PointComment CommentHighlightRest SCXW106005583 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-color: rgba(209, 209, 209, 0.5); box-shadow: #424242 -1px 0px 0px 0px !important; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.55px; font-family: Arial, Arial_EmbeddedFont, Arial_MSFontService, sans-serif;" data-ccp-props="{"><span class="TextRun SCXW16308106 BCX0" lang="EN-AU" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; color: #000000; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 19.55px; font-family: Arial, Arial_EmbeddedFont, Arial_MSFontService, sans-serif;" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Image: Low cloud and fog and observations of visibility in metres at 9am, indicating fog persisting along the ranges and slopes while the coast becomes mostly clear.<span class="EOP SCXW16308106 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.55px; font-family: Arial, Arial_EmbeddedFont, Arial_MSFontService, sans-serif;" data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;
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<span class="EOP CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRest PointComment CommentHighlightRest SCXW106005583 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-color: rgba(209, 209, 209, 0.5); box-shadow: #424242 -1px 0px 0px 0px !important; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.55px; font-family: Arial, Arial_EmbeddedFont, Arial_MSFontService, sans-serif;" data-ccp-props="{"><img src="https://news-images.weatherzone.com.au/Visibility%20NSW%202025-05-17%201030am.png" alt="" width="524" height="478" />
<span class="EOP CommentStart CommentHighlightPipeRest PointComment CommentHighlightRest SCXW106005583 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-color: rgba(209, 209, 209, 0.5); box-shadow: #424242 -1px 0px 0px 0px !important; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.55px; font-family: Arial, Arial_EmbeddedFont, Arial_MSFontService, sans-serif;" data-ccp-props="{"><span class="TextRun SCXW39716412 BCX0" lang="EN-AU" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; font-variant-ligatures: none !important; color: #000000; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 19.55px; font-family: Arial, Arial_EmbeddedFont, Arial_MSFontService, sans-serif;" xml:lang="EN-AU" data-contrast="auto">Image: Low cloud and fog and observations of visibility in <span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW39716412 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;">metres <span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW39716412 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; background-position: 0px 100%; background-repeat: repeat-x; border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;">at 10:30am, indicating Bathurst area under low cloud and in low visibility.<span class="EOP SCXW39716412 BCX0" style="-webkit-user-drag: none; -webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; user-select: text; color: #000000; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; background-color: #ffffff; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 19.55px; font-family: Arial, Arial_EmbeddedFont, Arial_MSFontService, sans-serif;" data-ccp-props="{">&nbsp;
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At the fog's thickest, visibility was reduced to less than 50 metres in Camden and Goulburn, and less than 100 metres in Richmond, Cooma, Bathurst, Mudgee, Maitland, Port Macquarie, Tamworth and Armidale, a hazard for those on the road. At Bathurst Airport, visibility was still as low as 500 metres until 10:30am.
This fog was a result of recent rain due to a trough, then calming winds and clearing skies due to a high. The rain had ensured high humidity on and near the ground, then calming winds and clearing skies allowed it to cool enough overnight for the high humidity to be converted into low cloud and fog.
Looking ahead to tonight and tomorrow morning across NSW, fog is unlikely to be as widespread or as long-lasting due to strengthening winds reducing overnight cooling. These strengthening winds will be a result of a developing low pressure system, which will bring significant rain to the state's east during the next few days, but that's another <a title="story" href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/eastern-nsw-bracing-for-heavy-rain/1890586">story</a>.


This morning, fog became widespread across New South Wales, plunging large areas into low visibility, including Sydney. Fog has lifted and burnt off in most areas, but is lingering well into the day in some inland places.


This morning, fog led to low visibility across large areas of New South Wales, including Sydney, and is still lingering in some inland areas.


By about 9am, fog had lifted and burnt off in most areas (mainly near the coast), and an hour or so later was still lingering in some inland places due to the calmness of the wind. At Bathurst Airport, fog lingered until about 10:30am.


In Sydney, fog was thickest in the west, as usual, but travelled from there along the Parramatta River in a conveyor belt of light winds, smothering the CBD's tall buildings.





Image: Low cloud and fog and observations of visibility in metres at 7am, indicating many locations with visibility below 1000 metres. 


 





Image: Low cloud and fog and observations of visibility in metres at 9am, indicating fog persisting along the ranges and slopes while the coast becomes mostly clear. 


 





Image: Low cloud and fog and observations of visibility in metres at 10:30am, indicating Bathurst area under low cloud and in low visibility. 


 


At the fog's thickest, visibility was reduced to less than 50 metres in Camden and Goulburn, and less than 100 metres in Richmond, Cooma, Bathurst, Mudgee, Maitland, Port Macquarie, Tamworth and Armidale, a hazard for those on the road. At Bathurst Airport, visibility was still as low as 500 metres until 10:30am.


This fog was a result of recent rain due to a trough, then calming winds and clearing skies due to a high. The rain had ensured high humidity on and near the ground, then calming winds and clearing skies allowed it to cool enough overnight for the high humidity to be converted into low cloud and fog.


Looking ahead to tonight and tomorrow morning across NSW, fog is unlikely to be as widespread or as long-lasting due to strengthening winds reducing overnight cooling. These strengthening winds will be a result of a developing low pressure system, which will bring significant rain to the state's east during the next few days, but that's another story.


This morning, fog became widespread across New South Wales, plunging large areas into low visibility, including Sydney. Fog has lifted and burnt off in most ar

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