Summary of Significant Severe Thunderstorm Events in NSW - 2003/04

18 March 2004
Murwillumbah

Very heavy rain and strong winds at Murwillumbah on the North Coast. Official rainfall was 34mm in 30 minutes with a spotters report of 89mm in 20 minutes. Hail 1.5 cm size. Winds estimated over 100 km/h with funnel cloud seen. Roofs torn off houses, trees and power lines brought down.

2 February 2004
Shellharbour

Up to 4cm size hail damaged motor vehicles and broke windows at Shellharbour in the Illawarra. Shellharbour Workers Club evacuated after inundated with water. Heavy rain with 31mm recorded at nearby Kiama.

27 January 2004
Giant hail Singleton

Hail up 7cm size reported in the Singleton area (Hunter) causing major damage.

24 January 2004
Severe lightning in NSW

Total of nearly 45,000 lightning strikes were detected in NSW over a 12-hour period. Lightning caused power outages to 8,000 homes in NSW. A person was killed at Bomaderry (near Nowra in the Illawarra) and two others injured while playing cricket.

25 October 2003
Western Sydney and lower Blue Mountains

Thunderstorms with hail up to 5cm size stripped trees and gardens, injured horses, and damaged cars and solar hot water systems. Reports of flash flooding and hail covering ground. One man was killed by a falling tree in the Blue Mountains during thunderstorms. At Berowra (northern Sydney) 75mm of rain was recorded in 1 hour.

2 October 2003
Northwest Slopes

Widespread blackouts around Quirindi following gale force winds reaching 104 km/h at Tamworth Airport. Thunderstorms produced 3cm hail at Wollabadah and tennis ball-size hail at Gunnedah. The entire town of Guyra (Northern Tablelands) experienced power failures.