GUTTERS have been cleared on the Great Western Highway and a popular tourist route in the Oberon region will be closed ahead of a deluge expected in the next 24 hours.
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The Bureau of Meteorology says an inland trough is forecast to deepen and potentially develop into a low pressure system on Friday, April 5, bringing heavy rain, particularly in the state's east.
Parts of the Blue Mountains are forecast to potentially receive up to 150 millimetres in 24 hours.
Similar heavy rain systems have, in the past few years, caused chaos on Bathurst's two main routes to Sydney, the Great Western Highway and Bells Line of Road, causing landslips and closing lanes.
Transport for NSW told the Western Advocate on Thursday afternoon that the agency is "working closely with emergency services to prepare for and respond to any impacts on state roads", including the Great Western Highway and Bells Line.
A spokesperson said preparations had included gutter clearing on the Great Western Highway "to prepare for expected high volumes of stormwater" and pavement repairs on Bells Line "to improve road surface resilience in extreme weather".
Storm clouds gathering
Forecast for Katoomba (Great Western Highway)
- Friday: 40 to 150mm.
- Saturday: 3 to 40mm.
Forecast for Richmond (Bells Line of Road)
- Friday: 35 to 130mm.
- Saturday: 3 to 40mm.
The Transport for NSW spokesperson said Jenolan Caves Road will be closed to traffic between Kanangra Walls Road and Jenolan Caves House from 6pm on Thursday, April 4 due to the expected heavy rainfall.
The road will reopen at 8am on Sunday, April 7, pending the results of an inspection.
"Transport for NSW continues to monitor conditions and crews have been put on standby ready to quickly respond, if required, to any weather impacts on our road network," the spokesperson said.
"As always, motorists are urged to drive to conditions for their safety and the safety of all road users."
| For the latest traffic updates, go to livetraffic.com.
River watch
IN a new flood watch issued on Thursday afternoon, the Bureau of Meteorology said minor to moderate flooding was possible on the Macquarie River to Bathurst due to the coming rain.
The bureau did say, though, that there was "still uncertainty associated with the location and intensity of the heaviest falls".
Bathurst Regional Council's latest reading for Chifley Dam, on April 2, showed that the impoundment was at 98.9 per cent of capacity.
Oberon Dam is at 97 per cent of capacity, according to Water NSW.
The Campbells River (which is impounded by Chifley Dam) and the Fish River (which is impounded by Oberon Dam) meet outside Bathurst to form the Macquarie.
