SOMEONE must have asked for rain in their letter to Santa this year because it is looking like a very stormy Christmas Day ahead.
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The heavens opened across the region in the last 24 hours, with places such as Scone recording 50 millimetres of rain since 9am on Wednesday December 20.
Looking at the 24 hour rain records, locations such as Dungog and Seaham all recorded between 47ml and 52ml of rain, with some station in the Barringtons recording more than 80ml.
The Bureau of Meteorology released its Christmas day forecast and the Hunter is bracing for thunderstorms and showers.
Newcastle is forecast to have a top of 27 degrees on Christmas Day, with 28 expected in Toronto and Maitland, 30 in Singleton and 31 degrees in Muswellbrook.
"With Christmas still [almost] a week away, the forecast is subject to change," senior meteorologist Angus Hines said.
"However Australia can start preparing for the festive season with the likely weather in mind."
The volatile summer conditions are caused by a high-pressure system that is strengthening and a trough off the north coast that is eroding, directing hot northerly winds into the state.
A second trough, moved through southern and western areas during Tuesday, December 19, before stalling over the northeast triggering widespread rain and storm.
The first storm cell rolled into the Hunter on Tuesday evening, with damage reported in areas including Seaham, Muswellbrook and Maitland.
According to the SES there were 32 Hunter calls on Tuesday night. The majority were in Port Stephens. Most of the jobs were due to trees coming down, or roof damage.
"Fortunately even though there was quite a bit of weather, it did not result in a lot of jobs for our SES volunteers," a spokesperson said.
The NSW SES is urging people to 'get ready' as wetter-than-average conditions are expected to continue.
"As we have seen across the state in recent weeks, storms can happen at any time," NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York said.
"Severe storms can be dangerous, damage your homes and properties, and cause injury if you are not adequately prepared.
"NSW SES encourages people to get prepared by cleaning your gutters, downpipes and drains. You can also do simple things like securing loose items around your homes and trimming trees.
"If travelling, be aware that flash flooding can occur very quickly and without warning. It is critical you assess the conditions, avoid driving and camping in low-lying areas, and also check live traffic before setting out.
"Make sure you also have a plan in place in case of an emergency and stay up to date with local forecasts and warnings."
Jessica Brown
Jessica began her journalism career in 2009 as a cadet at The Port Stephens Examiner before moving to London for a two-year stint working in magazines and digital publishing. The Lake Macquarie local returned to Australia where she took up a reporting role at The Maitland Mercury. She worked across several rounds including local council, police and property before moving into digital journalism and joining the team at The Newcastle Herald in 2017.
Jessica began her journalism career in 2009 as a cadet at The Port Stephens Examiner before moving to London for a two-year stint working in magazines and digital publishing. The Lake Macquarie local returned to Australia where she took up a reporting role at The Maitland Mercury. She worked across several rounds including local council, police and property before moving into digital journalism and joining the team at The Newcastle Herald in 2017.
