Summary of Significant Severe Thunderstorm Events in NSW - 2001/02

16 February 2002
Supercell storm in Sydney

Western parts of Sydney suffered again when a supercell thunderstorm moved across the district bringing damaging winds, heavy rain and up to 5 cm hailstones. The SES received over 8,000 requests for assistance.

16 January 2002
Kingscliff devastated by giant hail and tornado

A severe thunderstorm developed near Grafton and tracked to the northeast causing damage near Casino and Lismore on the North Coast. The cell didn't reach its full ferocity until it neared the coast where reports of hailstones the size of grapefruit, flash flooding and a tornado combined to devastate the towns of Kingscliff and Banora Point.

3 December 2001
Extreme wind gust from severe storm at Richmond

Severe thunderstorms struck many parts of NSW on this day with the worst affected area being Sydney where a line of thunderstorms moving at 80-100 km/h produced a gust of 174 km/h at Richmond, the highest wind gust ever recorded in mainland NSW. Tragically two schoolgirls died when a tree limb fell on their tent at Crosslands, north of Sydney.

18 November 2001
Eastern NSW

Severe thunderstorms affected many parts of eastern NSW. The worst affected area was Nelson Bay where a thunderstorm produced at least 150 km/h winds and a number of tornadoes. Over 100 buildings were damaged and several boats wrecked. Storm cells in the North West Slopes gave the recently installed Narrabri AWS a thorough initiation with a 150 km/h gust recorded in the early afternoon. Areas of significant damage also occurred in the Lower Hunter and the Sydney area where a number of tornadoes were reported. A total of 2,000 homes and 200 cars were damaged and 3 people killed, mainly by falling trees. The total damage bill was $29 million.