NSW north coast facing wild weather

[Tony]

Holiday-makers on the NSW north coast face a weekend of wild weather, with a tropical low creating bouts of torrential rain, strong winds and five-metre-high waves.

The State Emergency Service (SES) is advising those north of Yamba, including the holiday hotspots of Byron Bay and Tweed Heads, to prepare for a glum New Year's Eve, weather wise.

A tropical low, currently developing over the Coral Sea, east of the Whitsunday Islands, is expected to move south-east and intensify on Sunday.

Strong south-easterly coastal winds could create waves at least five metres high and beach erosion was likely, the SES said.

A powerful east to south-easterly swell was also expected to accompany the winds, peaking on Sunday.

"It looks like a pretty lousy New Year's Eve for people up on the north coast. It'll be an indoor celebration I think," SES spokesman Phil Campbell told AAP.

"It'll be pretty wet and windy otherwise."

Some beaches may close and holiday-makers are advised to stay out of the water, Surf Life Saving Australia said.

Mr Campbell urged campers not to set up near water courses, to check river conditions regularly and not drive or walk through flood waters given the expected rain.

Meanwhile, thunderstorms over parts of NSW on Thursday night brought lightning, flash floods and hail, but the SES reported little damage to homes.

"We didn't get much in terms of action from the thunderstorms ... a couple dozen requests for assistance. It was very, very quiet," Mr Campbell said.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) predicted heavy rains and flash flooding in the Hunter and Central Tablelands, Illawarra and western parts of Sydney on Thursday, but two of the biggest storms managed to bypass populated areas, a BoM spokesman said.

The Blue Mountains area reported most of the action, with Falconbridge receiving 25mm of rain within 10 minutes at 1pm, causing localised flash flooding.

A large amount of small hailstones also fell in Lithgow and Katoomba, he said.

[Tony]

Floods cut off NSW northern rivers town

Floodwaters have cut off a town for at least two days in the NSW northern rivers region.

About 500 people near Thora, in rugged valley country west of Coffs Harbour, are without access to essential services after the Bellinger River flooded the only road access to the area.

Severe storms that continue to batter the north coast are moving south and will force State Emergency Service (SES) crews to use helicopters and floodboats to access the area.

"They are stuck there until such time when the water drops back down underneath that bridge and that will take at least one to two days - possibly longer," SES spokesman Phil Campbell said.

"They may run out of essential supplies over the next few days and it could be a medical emergency."

Areas adjacent to the river are flooded but buildings are not under threat, Mr Campbell said.

The river is expected to peak at 4.3 metres, a moderate flood level, about midnight (AEDT) but will take days to recede.

"The scenic beauty attracts people but unfortunately, it being a big and narrow river valley, there's only one way out," he said.

Emergency crews remain vigilant on the north coast after storms dumped more than 150mm at Lismore and surrounding areas in the past 24 hours.

The SES has come to the rescue of a number of people cut off by floodwaters and evacuated a Lismore caravan park.

The city's Simes Bridge has been submerged and flooding caused many rural road closures after the Wilson River reached a height of seven metres on Friday afternoon.

At Kyogle, rescuers have been unable to reach a family who found refuge in a machinery shed on their property after the area flooded.

The family is not in danger and volunteers are waiting for waters to recede before attempting a rescue, SES spokesman Phil Campbell said.

People and holiday vans from a caravan park at Kyogle have been relocated closer to town and three women and their two dogs were rescued from their property following a landslide.

At Mullumbimby, a number of people were rescued from three four-wheel drive vehicles after they drove into floodwaters.

The SES has responded to about 100 calls for assistance in the past 24 hours - mainly for leaking roofs.

Mr Campbell said the Wilson River was not expected to rise high enough to cause widespread damage but a flood peak of eight metres is expected about 6am Saturday.

"We're watching the area around Lismore but we've only got the caravan park that we've had to relocate residents from," he said.

"We're not expecting any significant problems."

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued flash flooding and damaging surf warnings for the northern rivers region and mid-north coast.

The weather front is weakening as it moves south but residents can expect steady rain before showers ease on Saturday afternoon.

Waves at least three metres high will batter the northern half of the NSW coast and produce conditions more severe than those which caused beach closures on New Year's Day.

Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) expects conditions to close many beaches from the Queensland border to Sydney with waves exceeding three metres.

"We're expecting even stronger, more dangerous conditions than what caused beaches to close earlier in the week," SLSA spokesman for NSW Brett Moore told AAP.

[Tony]

NSW considers disaster declaration

The NSW government will consider making a natural disaster declaration as flooding continues to threaten parts of the state's north coast, while flash flooding has closed roads and damaged homes in south-east Queensland.

About 500 people were evacuated on Friday night in areas around Kyogle and South Murwillumbah where more than 300mm of rain fell in three hours.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued flood warnings for the Tweed, Richmond, Wilsons, Bellinger, Orara, Bogan, Warrego and Paroo rivers.

"Initial advice from SES (State Emergency Service) crews in the region indicate that the flooding is going to be far worse than initially predicted, more than warranting a declaration of a natural disaster," NSW Emergency Services Minister Nathan Rees said in a statement.

"We're facing the possibility of having to evacuate up to 3,000 people from the towns and many caravan parks."

Mr Rees will visit the region to make a "first hand assessment" of the area prior to making a decision on the disaster declaration.

The SES rescued several people in the region on Friday night.

"We had four vehicles trapped by flooding on a bridge during the night near Murwillumbah which required the rescue of the drivers," SES spokesman Phil Campbell told ABC Radio.

"We had a family at Chillingsworth that were trapped in their roof, the floodwaters had made their home unoccupiable.

"We've also at the present time got a nine-day old baby and its parents, they are isolated by floodwaters and we are sending teams out rescue that particular family, although they are in no immediate danger."

The area at greatest risk of flooding was now Kyogle, Mr Campbell said.

"The Tweed River peak has now passed through Murwillumbah," he said.

"It is likely to peak this afternoon between noon and 3pm (AEDT) but because it's tidal in that area there will be a series of multiple peaks it is difficult for the (weather) bureau to provide a precise height and that is one of the reasons we are doing these evacuations they are precautionary in some areas and very necessary in others and certainly urging people if they are asked to leave to do so."

Tumbulgum resident Brent Rinehart told ABC Radio that families were wandering the flooded streets after being woken and told to prepare for evacuation by emergency crews at about 4am (AEDT).

"At this stage to my knowledge no one's actually evacuated as such," Mr Rinehart said.

"I've only been here for three years, speaking to locals who have lived here for 20-odd years they said this is the worst they've seen it."

A natural disaster declaration for the area would be the third for Lismore in as many months after hail battered the town in October and more recently, heavy rain fell.

[Tony]

Woman's body found in Mullumbimby flood

The body of a woman reported missing on the weekend has been found in floodwaters at Mullumbimby, on the NSW far north coast.

Police and SES searches found the body at Main Arm, near Mullumbimby, at about 11.20am (AEDT).

On Saturday police received a report that a car had been washed from the causeway, but the flooding prevented them from scouring the area.

The search was called off, however, after they were informed that a person had been picked up by a passing motorist.

But after receiving a missing persons report on Tuesday, police renewed their efforts, checking with family, friends and the local hospital.

The woman's body was found one kilometre downstream from where her car was washed from the road.

Her identity has yet to be officially confirmed.

Storms hammered the area last week, causing rivers to swamp the Tweed, Kyogle, Lismore and Richmond Valley local government areas, trapping about 3,000 residents and visitors