Sydney to be smashed by heavy rain, monster storm: 'IT'S ON'

Sydney is once again set to be smashed by rain and may break a long-standing record this weekend.

Over the coming days, there is a high risk of widespread flooding as multiple weather systems move across NSW, with showers and thunderstorms set to hit the state's inland regions.

Dean Narramore from the Bureau of Meteorology said on Tuesday the rainfall is likely to lead to widespread flooding across many rivers in NSW.

The forecast has the SES commissioner on edge, saying the weather is set to impact communities that have already been impacted by floods in the past few months.

While Sydney might be making headlines in the coming days for breaking a 72-year record, the wet weather is expected to hit most of Australia.

It's set to be another wet week for most of the country, with severe storms and gusty winds forecast.

Sydney set to break 72-year record

Thanks to a very wet year in Sydney, a 72-year record might be broken in the coming days. This year is Sydney's second wettest year on record and it is inching toward taking out the top spot.

"It's on," Weatherzone said in a tweet.

Currently, the wettest year on record is 1950, with 2194mm of rain falling. In 2022, Sydney has seen 2112mm fall.

This year marks 164 years of records being kept.

Weatherzone notes that at this time in 1950, only 1960.5 mm had been recorded, so it is very likely the record will be broken this week, and potentially smashed in the coming months.

"Sydney needs another 82mm to equal the old record, and it just so happens that forecast models predict around 70-110 mm up until 9am next Monday," Weatherzone said.

"Indeed, all models have over 100mm on the cards for at least some part of the greater Sydney region. Chances are, that record will be gone within the next week."

Concerns for already drenched catchments

Assistant SES commissioner Sean Kearns says he's very concerned about western and southwestern parts of the state as more rain falls on drenched catchments.

"This is going to impact communities that have already been impacted by floods over the last month or two," he told ABC TV on Wednesday.

"What we're going to see is significant amounts of rain, sometimes the monthly rainfall in just a couple of days, if not more."

With Bathurst 1000 race this weekend, Mr Kearns warned racegoers to take heed of the conditions and follow SES directions when heading to Mount Panorama, amid concerns the Macquarie River could flood.

Heavy falls and thunderstorms with a risk of flash flooding are expected in the western parts of the Riverina and Central West Slopes and Plains on Wednesday as a trough drags moisture across inland NSW.

A severe warning for heavy rainfall covers a large part of the state's west, from Nyngan in the central north to Deniliquin near the Victorian border through to Broken Hill in the central west.

Inland towns on flood watch include Deniliquin, Griffith, Hay, Tibooburra, Cobar, Bourke, Broken Hill, Wentworth and Brewarrina.

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Rain and gusty winds expected for rest of Australia

From Thursday night into Friday, rain and bursts of heavy falls will extend from Queensland to southern Victoria.

Then another rain system will sweep across southern Queensland, NSW and eastern Victoria over the weekend.

Just like in NSW, some areas in Queensland, northern Victoria, northern Tasmania, and eastern South Australia could exceed 100mm over the coming week.

Weatherzone said the multi-day deluge is due to the negative Indian Ocean Dipole and La Niña both being in full effect.

With AAP

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