Prolonged Rainfall Puts NSW and QLD on Flood Watch

Communities across New South Wales and South East Queensland are bracing for even more wet weather, as a complex and slow-moving system pushes across the eastern states this week. The combination of a low-pressure system inland, a coastal trough, and a high-pressure system over the Tasman is drawing in deep moisture, leading to sustained rainfall over already saturated catchments.

While totals will vary by location, parts of the Mid North Coast, Northern Rivers, Hunter, and Greater Sydney could see rainfall nudging or exceeding 100mm over the next 24–36 hours. Some isolated areas may reach 150mm. With soils unable to absorb more water, the risk of minor to moderate flooding and even isolated major flooding is high. River systems such as the Namoi, Gwydir, Peel, and Macdonald are of particular concern in the coming days.

EWN's GIS Platform showing flood warnings across NSW as rain continues in the area

For many residents and businesses, the threat of flooding is nothing new this winter. Repeated rain events have left waterways swollen and communities fatigued. Farmers in low-lying areas are again worried about the potential for crop losses if water remains over paddocks for too long.

Emergency services have positioned resources in flood-prone areas and are ready to respond, with the SES warning that flash flooding could develop quickly in parts of northern and northwestern NSW as rain intensifies.

Rainfall totals for the 24 hours up to 10am on 21 August, via EWN AWARE

At EWN, our priority is to keep clients informed and prepared through timely, accurate flood alerts and live situational awareness. Our AWARE and GIS platforms are delivering constant updates and forecasts with our proprietary data layers to give decision-makers a clear picture of the evolving threat.

Using AWARE, clients can:

• Monitor real-time river gauge data and rainfall totals.

• Access customised flood watches and warnings for their assets and service areas.

• View impact zones directly on the GIS map, enabling rapid risk assessment and proactive responses.

These capabilities are particularly valuable for insurance, infrastructure, logistics, and local government clients who need to anticipate operational disruptions, protect assets, and coordinate responses.

During multi-day rain events like this one, our team works closely with clients to ensure they have:

• Automated alerts for changing flood risk thresholds.

• Location-specific intelligence to guide decisions on road closures, asset protection, and workforce safety.

• Post-event data to help assess impacts and plan recovery.

With saturated catchments and widespread rainfall, the margin for error is small. EWN’s alerting systems are designed to provide the extra lead time needed to act decisively, that’s moving equipment, activating response teams, or notifying stakeholders.

Sydney Harbour this morning showing that the rain has well and truly settled in

Rainfall is expected to ease from Friday, but with rivers already high and more showers possible, flood risks will remain into the weekend. EWN will continue to provide live updates and detailed intelligence through AWARE, ensuring our clients stay one step ahead.

For organisations needing immediate access to advanced flood alerting and real-time mapping, our team is ready to assist.

Contact us today to learn more about EWN’s AWARE flood intelligence solutions.