Rain and thunder are set to sweep across Sydney and New South Wales on Tuesday, ahead of a wet and dreary New Year’s Eve in capital cities across the nation.
For the second day in a row, potentially severe thunderstorms are forecast for large parts of the state – across the mid-north coast, northern tablelands, north-west slopes and plains, and parts of the central tablelands.
Temperatures above 29C with an above 90% chance of showers and a potentially severe thunderstorm are forecast for Dubbo, Tamworth and Coffs Harbour, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
In Sydney, 12mm of rain fell between 9am and 10am in Parramatta as drizzle swept across the city.
And that weather is forecast to continue until New Year’s Eve on Thursday.
In Sydney, parks along the harbour foreshore in Sydney’s inner west council will remain closed – even though portable toilets were moved in on Tuesday morning, causing confusion among locals.
On Monday, local mayors around the city said they had pre-emptively closed parks that offered views of the New Years Eve fireworks, to prevent large gatherings. However, residents near Illoura Park in Balmain reported that dozens of portable toilets had been installed, in what appeared to be preparation for a New Years Eve event.
The mayor of the council, Darcy Byrne, told Guardian Australia that police “insisted” on bringing the portable toilets in, even though the park was “definitely closed”.
“We told them it sends a very mixed message but it’s their call,” he said.
Melbourne, Brisbane, Darwin and Hobart are also set to see showers on New Year’s Eve, in a mostly rainy event around the country.
In Melbourne, the bureau forecasts a 30% chance of rain, and the chance of a thunderstorm in the outer eastern suburbs in the afternoon and evening.
Brisbane has a 70% chance of showers, and a forecast of between 2mm and 6mm of rain. Darwin is set for possible thunderstorms and 4mm to 15mm of rain. Hobart has a high chance (70%) of showers, but these are most likely in the morning, according to the BoM. Canberra will be cloudy with a slight chance of drizzle.
Perth and Adelaide will be sunny, with a high of 33C in Perth and 29C in Adelaide.
The meteorologist Helen Reid from the Bureau of Meteorology said Sydney would receive between 5mm and 10mm of rain on New Year’s Eve, and on and off showers for the rest of the week.
“We’re not looking at it being dry,” she told Guardian Australia.
“It is not something that is going to start – it is just going to be showers on and off. We’re in the same environment, today and tomorrow, Thursday, and continuing into next week.”
Reid said New Year’s Eve in Sydney would be “cloudy, a bit drizzly, it won’t be sunny at all.”
“Five to 10mm is what we are looking at. Not huge amounts but just enough to spoil a party.”
And that rain will continue into 2021.
“We are going to experience this well into next week,” she said. “Friday and Saturday will be a bit wetter than Sunday and Monday. There will be a bit more shower activity on New Year’s Day. The new year may start with a bang with a thunderstorm.”