page_title: Severe storm events in Sydney
section_title: 1970s–1990s
hierarchical_section_title: Severe storm events in Sydney / Notable events / 20th century / 1970s–1990s
caption_attribution_description: English: Damaged caused by the 1999 Sydney hailstorm
context_page_description: Severe storm events in Sydney are not uncommon and would include hail storms, wind storms, and flash flooding from rain caused either by East coast lows or ex-tropical cyclone remnants. East coast lows are low pressure depressions that can bring significant damage by heavy rain, cyclonic winds and huge swells. Sydney is rarely affected by cyclones, although remnants of ex-cyclones do affect the city.
  Scientists have predicted that rainfall in Sydney, with its moderate to low variability, will become more unpredictable and temperatures will be on the rise. According to CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology, global warming has increased the chances of extreme rain and flash floods recently, although destructive heavy rainfall events have occurred in Australia, including the Sydney area, since records began in the 18th century, and ergo the chronological list below will showcase the notable storm events from the earliest recorded date until present.
context_section_description: On 24 April 1974, the western suburbs endured severe flash flooding that resulted in $20 million worth of damage and one death, as a consequence of 200 mm (7.87 in) of rain falling in three days.
  On 10 March 1975, Sydney airport received 174.7 mm (6.88 in) of rainfall in six hours, in addition to flash flooding which caused more than $15 m worth of damage.
  On 10 November 1976, intense thunderstorms caused severe damage in around Lidcombe and Auburn, with tennis-ball size (6 cm) hail and violent winds that injured 10 people. Damage costs were $40 million.
  On 10–11 February 1978, a tornado tore through many homes in the Lower North Shore, injuring eight people. The damage cost was $15 million.
  Between 19–24 March 1978, after an intense low pressure cell developed on the Coral Sea, travelling southwards, heavy rainfall occurred in the east coast which overflowed the Hawkesbury River, thereby flooding nearby homes and damaging roads. Several weather stations in the Sydney metropolitan area reported daily rainfall totals in excess of 250 mm (9.84 in).
  On 8 November 1984, Sydney CBD saw 235 mm (9.25 in) of rain with 120.3 mm (4.74 in) falling at Observatory Hill in just one hour. Causing damage to homes in the Sydney Harbour and burying vehicles in mud, the storm was caused by a coastal trough with very high humidity values which in turn spawned very slow moving thunderstorms. The cost of damages from the storm were, at the time, $80 million.
  On 6 August 1986, a record 327.6 mm (12.90 in) of rainfall was dumped on the city in 24 hours, causing severe floods, major traffic problems and damage in many parts of the metropolitan area.
  On 3 October 1986, ten people were injured and hundreds of homes were damaged after a hail up to 6 cm size hit the western suburbs. The total damage bill was $161 million.
  On 3 February 1990, Sydney CBD received its record 24 hour February rainfall at 243.6 mm (9.59 in), when ex-tropical cyclone Nancy was centred on Brisbane.
  On 18 March 1990, in around Auburn and Bankstown, large hail up to 8 cm diameter with strong winds and flash flooding caused $550 million worth of damage, where more than 2000 houses had window and roof damage.
  On 21 January 1991, the Northern Sydney area (Turramurra, Pymble and the surrounds) received hail 7 cm in size with winds up to 230 km/h, and as well as 60 mm (2.36 in) of rain in 30 minutes. With a damage cost of $670 million, the storm event damaged over 7000 houses from felled trees and floods.
  On 12 February 1992, in the western and northern suburbs, a storm caused $335 million worth of damage after rain, large hail and flash flooding battered over 500 houses.
  On 20 November 1994, a severe storm caused $29 million worth of damage in the Sydney region, namely in the north, where many trees were felled and houses wrecked.
  In the early hours of 30 August 1996, an east coast low ravaged Sydney, bringing destructive winds that damaged properties and heavy rainfall that caused flash flooding and road blockage. Turramurra received 160 mm (6.30 in) of rainfall in 24 hours, Epping at 143 mm (5.63 in) and the CBD at 127 mm (5.00 in). Wind gusts up to 160 km/h were recorded. Insurance payouts due to the storm were estimated to be up to $50 million.
  On 7–8 August 1998, parts of Sydney and the Illawarra region received in excess of 300 mm (12 in) of rain over four days.
  The 14 April 1999 hailstorm was a notable storm event in Sydney, which caused severe damage in many suburbs and killed one man when his boat was struck by lightning. The storm produced hailstones of up to 9 cm (3.5 in) in diameter and resulted in insurance losses of around A$1.7 billion in less than five hours.
caption: The aftermath of the 1999 hailstorm on a suburban Sydney street.
exif: {}