Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in Illawarra, South Coast, Snowy Mountains and parts of Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes and Australian Capital Territory Forecast Districts.

Issued at 4:46 pm Tuesday, 21 October 2025.

Damaging winds developing early Wednesday morning.

Weather Situation: A frontal system moving across NSW on Wednesday will lead to a hot and gusty day across much of the state. Strengthening north to northwesterly winds across the elevated topography and in the east during the early morning will shift more westerly and extend to the southeast during the afternoon and evening. Conditions will ease sometime in the late evening or early Thursday morning.

For the CENTRAL RANGES and COASTAL PARTS of the ILLAWARRA: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 55 to 65 km/h with gusts around 90 km/h are possible from early Wednesday morning, with gusts around 100 km/h likely during the afternoon.

For the SOUTHERN RANGES: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 55 to 65 km/h with gusts around 90 km/h are possible from Wednesday morning, extending to the SOUTH COAST during the afternoon and evening. Winds increasing about elevated areas to 65 to 75 km/h with peak gusts up to 110 km/h during the afternoon and evening.

For SNOWY MOUNTAINS and parts of the ACT above 1500 metres: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 60 to 70 km/h are possible.

For ALPINE AREAS above 1900 metres: DAMAGING WINDS averaging 80 to 90 km/h are possible.

Conditions begin to ease later in the evening and are expected to clear early on Thursday morning.

Locations which may be affected include Wollongong, Goulburn, Nowra, Batemans Bay, Eden, Katoomba, Mt Ginini and Thredbo.

The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
* Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
* Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony.
* Keep at least 8 metres away from fallen power lines or objects that may be energised, such as fences.
* Trees that have been damaged by fire are likely to be more unstable and more likely to fall.
* Report fallen power lines to either Ausgrid (131 388), Endeavour Energy (131 003), Essential Energy (132 080) or Evoenergy (131 093) as shown on your power bill.
* Stay vigilant and monitor conditions. Note that the landscape may have changed following bushfires.
* For emergency help in floods and storms, ring your local SES Unit on 132 500.