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Major flooding in Upper Hunter

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Widespread rainy conditions are expected to ease in NSW as the state heads into the final weekend of a month that has delivered triple the average rainfall to some areas.

Thunderstorms hit the Upper Hunter on Friday morning, delivering 64mm and causing major flooding at Kingdon Ponds in Scone.

Numerous roads throughout Muswellbrook, Denman, Merriwa and Aberdeen are closed, too.

Nearby Mount Palmer had the state’s highest 24-hour total with 117mm.

“We’ve seen thunderstorms and more localised rain bringing those heavy and more intense bits of rainfall,” Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) senior meteorologist Agata Imielska said.

“It hasn’t been necessarily raining constantly nonstop… but we still have that risk of thunderstorms.”

She warned against complacency when the weather broke.

“Today is still a key day to keep a close eye on conditions but we will see an easing change into the weekend,” said Ms Imielska, with mostly clearer conditions and occasional showers expected.

While floods threaten some areas, other are rejoicing at the rain.

Broken Hill recorded 23mm – and Ms Imielska said: “That was actually welcome news. That’s the most rainfall they’ve had since September 2020.”

Some regional and remote towns face isolation, with floods cutting off major roads including the Kamilaroi, Golden, Cobb and Silver City highways on Friday morning.

In New England, major flooding along the Namoi River has cut off the town of Wee Waa.

It is protected by a levee but could be isolated for more than a week.

Andrew Gissing, the resilience manager of consultancy Risk Frontiers, said governments across the country had progressively invested in flood mitigation schemes, but they took years to build.

“We’re really fortunate that we’ve got good flood-warning systems in place as well so communities can prepare,” he explained.

With ongoing climate change, more mitigation would be required.

“We obviously have sea level rises occurring, so that makes coastal flooding more significant in the low ends of estuaries,” Mr Gissing said.

“We know a warmer atmosphere can hold more water so when it does rain, we could see more heavy rainfalls in the future.”

Floods are threatening western Sydney after Richmond recorded more than 55mm since 2.30pm on Thursday, about half of which fell in three hours.

Minor flooding is possible from Friday afternoon in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley.

In the state’s central west, floodwaters along the Lachlan River are coursing through Jemalong on their way to Condobolin.

Forbes residents are warned the river still poses a danger after evacuations were ordered last week. 

Renewed rises upstream at Cowra on Friday morning are expected to bring minor flooding to Nanami on the way to Forbes.

The Castlereagh River has reached moderate flood levels, with Mendooran and Gilgandra expected to feel the impact.

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