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UPDATED 7am FRIDAY: The words you probably expected are now real: The rain is expected to intensify during Friday.
An East Coast Low will form on Friday near southeast Queensland before moving south to be offshore of the Mid-North Coast on Sunday..
There is a severe weather warning in place for the Mid-North Coast and a flood watch warning for a number of rivers. SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE DETAILS
Damaging winds around 60 km/h with peak gusts of 90 km/h are forecast to develop later on Friday for parts of the Northern Rivers forecast district.
Very heavy surf also may lead to localised damage and coastal erosion is forecast for the Northern Rivers with surf in excess of five metres.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms which may lead to flash flooding is forecast to intensify during Friday for the Northern Rivers forecast district, northern parts of the Mid North Coast and eastern parts of the Northern Tablelands forecast districts.
Between 9am Thursday and 4am on Friday, Wooli had received 82mm of rain, Port Macquarie 78mm, Houghlahan's Creek (near Lismore) 71mm and Lismore 65mm.
The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
- Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
- Don't walk, ride your bike or drive through flood water.
- If you are trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place and ring 000 if you need rescue.
- Unplug computers and appliances.
- Avoid using the phone during the storm.
- Stay indoors away from windows, and keep children and pets indoors as well.
- For emergency help in floods and storms, ring the SES (NSW and ACT) on 132 500.
From the Bureau of Meteorology
Onshore winds and rain will increase as a trough deepens off the northern New South Wales coast today and on Friday. An East Coast Low is expected to form within this trough on Saturday near southeast Queensland before moving south to be offshore of the Mid North Coast on Sunday.
Heavy rain which may lead to FLASH FLOODING is forecast from Thursday night for the Northern Rivers forecast district and northern parts of the Mid North Coast and eastern parts of the Northern Tablelands forecast districts. The rain is expected to intensify during Friday.
In the 24 hours up to 3pm on Thursday, Wooli had received 125mm of rain, Lake Ainsworth 104mm, Ballina 95mm, Evans Head 91mm, Tweed Heads 54mm and Woodburn 53mm.
But the following image is the MetEye forecasts for:
Thursday 10pm:
Flood Watch
At this stage there is a greater than 70% chance of flooding in the following river valleys developing during Friday, Saturday and Sunday:
1. Tweed River valley - moderate to major flooding
2. Brunswick River valley - moderate to major flooding
3. Richmond and Wilsons River valley - moderate to major flooding
4. Clarence River Valley, including the Orara River - minor to moderate flooding
5. Coffs Harbour - minor to moderate flooding
6. Bellinger and Kalang River valley - moderate to major flooding
7. Nambucca River valley - moderate to major flooding
8. Macleay River valley - minor to moderate flooding
9. Hastings River valley - minor to moderate flooding
10. Camden Haven valley - minor to moderate flooding
11. Manning River Valley, including Gloucester - minor to moderate flooding
12. Paterson and Williams Rivers - minor to moderate flooding
Its current four-day forecast from Wednesday to Saturday is shown below, with northern border areas with Queensland likely to cop the most rain:
