Severe Thunderstorm Warning Issued for North West Slopes and Plains and Northern Tablelands
This alert is no longer in effect.
BOM issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this BoM weather warning directly from BOM's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a high-priority warning for heavy rainfall and damaging winds across parts of northern New South Wales.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Severe Thunderstorm Warning
- Affected area
- Northern New South Wales
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- BOM
Storm notices can cover different combinations of wind, hail, lightning, and rainfall. Use the original notice for the hazards and boundaries attached to this specific record.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Northern New South Wales.
Alert Details
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning (IDN21033) for heavy rainfall and damaging winds. This top-priority alert was issued at 2:24 pm on Friday, 20 February 2026, and is currently in effect for parts of northern New South Wales.
Affected Areas
The warning specifically covers residents in parts of the following forecast districts:
- North West Slopes and Plains
- Northern Tablelands
Expected Conditions
A moist and unstable airmass combined with a trough is triggering thunderstorms across northern NSW this afternoon. According to the Bureau, these storms are slow-moving, which increases the risk of localized impacts. Expected hazards include:
- Heavy Rainfall: Intense downpours that may lead to flash flooding.
- Damaging Winds: Isolated risks of damaging wind gusts within the warning area over the next several hours.
What You Should Do
The State Emergency Service (SES) advises residents to take the following precautions immediately:
- Park vehicles under secure cover and away from trees, powerlines, and drains.
- Secure or put away loose items around houses, yards, and balconies.
- Maintain a distance of at least 8 metres from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
- Stay clear of creeks and storm drains.
- Do not walk, ride your bike, or drive through flood water.
- If trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place and call 000 if you require rescue.
- Stay indoors away from windows, and keep children and pets indoors as well.
For emergency help in floods and storms, contact the SES on 132 500.
Timeline
The warning was issued at 2:24 pm on Friday, 20 February 2026. The hazardous conditions are expected to persist through the afternoon. The Bureau of Meteorology is scheduled to issue the next update by 5:25 pm, or earlier if conditions change significantly.
Original source: BOM Official Notice ↗
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