Full Breakdown
Tornado Hits Ulladulla as Severe Storms Sweep NSW Coast
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Event Overview
On Saturday, October 3, 2026, a tornado moved through the South Coast town of Ulladulla, New South Wales, while intense thunderstorms battered Greater Sydney. The storm system produced strong wind gusts, heavy rain, flash flooding and lightning across a broad region that includes Sydney, Wollongong, Katoomba, Penrith, Parramatta and Bowral.
Meteorological Details
The Bureau of Meteorology recorded wind gusts of up to 98 km/h in the Ulladulla area and gusts reaching 72 km/h in Sydney Harbour. Rainfall rates peaked at 30 mm in less than half an hour in parts of the city, triggering flash floods. The agency issued a severe thunderstorm and damaging wind-gust warning for the central and south-eastern parts of the state.
Emergency Response
The State Emergency Service (SES) logged more than 230 assistance calls statewide, the majority from Ulladulla. SES crews rescued two people trapped in cars in flood-water-covered streets in Moore Park and Darlinghurst. Additional incidents included vehicles stranded in Edgecliff, a lightning-struck tree in Merrylands and widespread power disruptions.
Impact and Aftermath
In Ulladulla, the tornado tore roofs from homes, downed trees and damaged multiple buildings. Resident Wishaya La Spina, who was in a car with her infant at the time, described the event as “pretty scary” and noted the sudden appearance of the funnel around 1 p.m. The combination of high winds and rapid rain accumulation caused flash flooding in Sydney’s CBD, creating hazardous conditions for commuters and prompting emergency services to prioritize rescues and road clearance.
The storm system underscores the vulnerability of coastal communities to sudden, high-intensity weather events and highlights the importance of timely warnings and coordinated emergency response.