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Sydney weather: Man killed in head-on car crash after deluge on NSW north coast

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A man has been killed after two cars collided on the NSW north coast, as a series of catastrophic thunderstorms swept across the state on Sunday. 

The crash happened on the Pacific Highway at Moorland, north of Taree, about 4.15pm, prompting police to issue a warning to drivers after another day of wild weather. 

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NSW storms: 3 struck by lightning, towns battered by hail

Three women were struck by lightning in the NSW southern highlands during the second day of severe storms across the state on Saturday. Vision courtesy ABC News 24.

Emergency services were called, but the driver of one of the vehicles could not be revived and died at the scene.

Six people in the other car, including four children, were taken to hospital with minor injuries.

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"Police are urging drivers in the area to take care, with heavy rain and a large amount of water on the road," police said on Sunday. 

"Officers have attended several reports throughout the day of vehicles leaving the road as a result of the conditions."

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High winds, torrential rain, and waves of violent storms lashed the state's north coast in the afternoon, with the Hunter and Central Coast regions most affected by the wild weather. 

Meanwhile, as Sydney residents survey the damage after two days of thunderstorms and hail, Weatherzone has predicted a reasonable chance of showers in the evening and an outside chance of storms in the north of the city. 

It could be wet, but nowhere near as damaging as the thunderstorms over the past couple of days that brought hail and damaging winds to large swathes of Sydney, Weatherzone's Rob Sharpe said.

"Severe thunderstorms are much more likely further north - from the Hunter region to northern NSW and into Queensland, with only a small chance of damaging hail," he said. 

Weatherzone: Sydney radar

Severe storms and hailstones the size of golf balls lashed Sydney and the surrounding areas for a second day on Saturday. 

Thunderstorms formed in the northwest of Sydney and quickly moved in a south-easterly direction, hitting the Northern Beaches just before 5pm. Another storm cell pummelled Sydney's northern suburbs, from Berowra to Mona Vale, for a second time at 5.20pm.

Three women, all sisters aged in their 60s, were hit by lightning in Bowral in the New South Wales Southern Highlands. Two of the women were treated for shock while the third, 61, was airlifted to a Sydney hospital and is being treated for severe burns.

Damage and blackouts

The State Emergency Service NSW received about 2000 calls for help over Friday and Saturday, 1600 from Sydney residents, SES NSW spokesperson Phil Campbell said. 

Volunteers from other parts of the state were called in to assist their Sydney counterparts.

Photo gallery
Storms lash Sydney for a second day

The damage was mostly due to hail breaking roof tiles and smashing windows and skylights, while fallen trees downed power lines and heavy rains caused some minor flooding. 

"The majority of the work has been done today, but we're expecting volunteers will continue working into tomorrow," Mr Campbell said. 

At the peak of the storms on Friday 45,000 homes and businesses had lost power, mainly on the central coast and Sydney's northern beaches, according to Ausgrid.

Crews restored power to 20,000 homes and businesses soon after the blackouts. About 1200 customers were still without power on Sunday, an Ausgrid Spokeswoman said. 

The Insurance Council of Australia has declared the recent storms a "catastrophe".

So far insurers have reported receiving 12,000 claims, with insured losses reaching roughly $31 million.

As far as catastrophic insurance ratings go, this weekend was on the mild end of the scale. The Anzac Day 2015 hailstorms resulted in 14,239 claims totalling almost $400 million.

"Households or businesses that need to make a claim should contact their insurer promptly so the assessment and repair processes can get underway as soon as possible," an ICA spokesperson said in a statement.

Clouds part for Springsteen in the Hunter 

Bruce Springsteen concertgoers were pelted with rain and hail as they gathered on the lawn of Hope Estate in the Hunter Valley on Saturday afternoon.

The wild weather did not dampen the spirits of die-hard fans who huddled together in brightly-coloured plastic ponchos, upturning chairs and holding picnic blankets over their heads in futile attempts to stay dry.

Others took shelter in the unisex urinals as they waited for The Boss.

When the E Street Band walked on stage at 7.36pm, not another drop of rain fell.

No doubt impressed with the weather down under, Springsteen's first words to his sopping crowd were "Hunter Valley. Jesus Christ".

His closing song Thunder Road was the highly appropriate closing song at Hope Estate, the final night of his Australian tour.

Weatherzone is owned by Fairfax Media, publisher of this website