People along the NSW north coast have been warned of dangerous surf and minor flooding as persistent rain hits.
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The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a hazardous surf warning for Byron Bay, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie and the Hunter coast with people told to avoid rock fishing and consider staying out of the water.
Minor flooding is occurring on the Wilsons River at Lismore where heavy rain has been recorded across the catchment. Its level was at 5.47 metres on Saturday afternoon and near its peak.
The Bureau has issued a warning, with minor flooding likely at Coraki and Bungawalbyn and the Richmond River likely to peak near 3.50 metres around midnight Saturday into Sunday.
The Bellinger River at Thora peaked at 3.05 metres around midnight Friday with minor flooding. Its level has since fallen to 3.0 metres and below the minor flood level.
Minor flooding is also expected along the Paroo River in far western NSW.
The weather is the result of a broad trough of low pressure sitting off the northern NSW coast, while a high pressure system sits over the southern Tasman Sea.
The Bureau of Meteorology says there is the chance of a thunderstorm across the northeast, the northern and central ranges and central east, and possible heavy falls for parts of the Mid North Coast and Hunter.
"We have seen thunderstorm activity around the Hunter region and we are anticipating heavier rainfalls around areas of the Mid North Coast through this evening into tomorrow morning," Meteorologist Jordan Notara told AAP on Saturday.
In the 24 hours to 9am Saturday, 201mm fell at The Channon in the Northern Rivers area, 163mm in Dunoon near Lismore and 131mm at Byron Bay.
Australian Associated Press
