1500km line of severe thunderstorms marches through NSW and Sydney

A line of severe thunderstorms bringing damaging winds, heavy rain and lightning is crossing NSW and Sydney this Sunday.

Warm, humid and unstable conditions are combining over NSW and inland parts of Queensland this Sunday and Monday, driving widespread severe thunderstorms. A series of low pressure troughs are responsible for triggering these intense thunderstorms.

1,500km line of thunderstorms across NSW

Satellite imagery on Sunday afternoon shows a continuous line of thunderstorms stretching nearly 1,500km from southern Queensland, across NSW and into the Bass Strait.

Video: Satellite loop on Sunday afternoon, October 25, 2026 showing a continuous line of thunderstorms and lightning stretching nearly 1,500km over eastern Australia. Source: Weatherzone.

These thunderstorms have moved from west to east over NSW, generating damaging wind gusts reaching:

113 km/h at Cabramurra

100 km/h at West Wyalong

94 km/h at Narrandera Airport

91 km/h at Wilcannia Airport

85 km/h at Nowra and White Cliffs

As of 6pm AEDT, over 445,000 lightning strikes have been recorded across NSW today.

Severe thunderstorms crossing Sydney

Just before 5pm this Sunday afternoon, the thunderstorms reached the far western suburbs of Sydney, with severe thunderstorm warnings being issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for the Sydney Basin.

Satellite on Sunday afternoon, October 25, 2026 showing a continuous line of thunderstorms and lightning stretching nearly 1,500km over eastern Australia.
Image: Radar and lightning data as seen on the Weatherzone App on Sunday afternoon, October 25, 2026. Source: Weatherzone.

Within 50km of Bankstown, over 1,200 lightning strikes have been recorded today (as of 6pm AEDT). Camden Airport recorded an 82 km/h wind gust as the thunderstorms rolled over.

Another low pressure trough over southern NSW is generating a secondary wave of thunderstorms that could move east into eastern NSW, including Sydney, later tonight. Thunderstorms could become severe, with an upper level low helping generate powerful winds in thunderstorms.

Monday will see thunderstorm risk contracting to northeast NSW and Queensland as a gusty southerly change moves up the NSW coast, most likely reaching Sydney just after sunrise.

Thunderstorms will likely be severe in places on Monday, with a risk of damaging to destructive winds, hail and heavy rainfall, most likely east of the ranges to the north of Port Macquarie, extending into the ranges and Darling Downs of Queensland, possibly including Brisbane.

Check the Weatherzone warnings page for the latest weather warnings.