Travellers flying out of Sydney on Wednesday have been asked to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport due to the heavy storms that have struck the city.
Sydneysiders woke up to lighting, thunder and torrential rain and wind on Wednesday, causing traffic gridlock on the roads and flooding some areas. Meteorologists have described conditions as a one in a hundred year event.
#SydneyStorm VERY HEAVY RAINFALL West Pennant Hills 72.5mm in 60 minutes to 6:30am, Chatswood Bowling Club 66mm in 60 minutes to 6:55am Latest warnings at https://t.co/Ybq4Pq1TNM Sydney Radar at https://t.co/DvlRfRDCPP
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) November 27, 2018
More than 100 millimetres of rain have lashed Sydney in recent hours. The average for November in Sydney is about 83 millimetres.
The weather has led to flight delays and cancellations, with Sydney Airport down to single runway operations and the roads around the airport affected.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqtNPISgbr7/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=ulu65jmruyqh
Activity returning on @SydneyAirport runways #SydneyStorm pic.twitter.com/W4M0MEM8pc
— Ricardo Gonçalves (@BUSINESSricardo) November 27, 2018
Holy cow this was the last of four flooded areas we passed through on our way to the #Sydney airport this morning! #sydneyweather pic.twitter.com/0gVT0uGyRN
— MonicaRicci (@MonicaRicci) November 27, 2018
Sydney Airport said on Twitter the airport remained open. However, there were delays of up to two hours for some flights.
⚠We are currently experiencing flight delays and cancellations in Domestic and International terminals. Please contact your airline for updated flight information before travelling to Sydney Airport.
— Sydney Airport (@SydneyAirport) November 27, 2018
Hi Liz, it's a little too early to tell, however we are experiencing delays and cancellations in domestic, and 1-2 hours delays in international. You can register for live flight updates via our @flySYD twitter account.
— Sydney Airport (@SydneyAirport) November 27, 2018
Hi Sunil, Sydney Airport is not currently closed, however we are experiencing delays and cancellations due to severe weather.
— Sydney Airport (@SydneyAirport) November 27, 2018
Virgin Australia said flight delays and some cancellations were expected and encouraged its passengers to check their flight status.
“We know weather delays can be frustrating, however the safety of our passengers and crew is our number one priority,” Virgin Australia said on its website.
“Thanks for your patience as we work to have everyone on their way as quickly and safely as possible.”
Heavy rain, strong wind and storms in #Sydney today will impact all airlines across the day ?. Stay dry, and if you’re flying today, make sure you check your flight status before heading to the airport https://t.co/9O2uaiU6j5
— Virgin Australia (@VirginAustralia) November 27, 2018
Other airlines also had a similar message.
“Strong winds and poor weather are impacting flights in and out of Sydney Airport today,” Jetstar said on its website.
“Our teams are monitoring the situation and will contact you directly if there are any changes to your flight. Please ensure your contact details are up to date on your booking by visiting Manage My Booking through the Jetstar app or on Jetstar.com.
“Before travelling to the airport, we recommend that you check the status of your flight for the latest information.”
Severe weather is impacting flights in Sydney. If you’re flying with us you can check the status of your flight here https://t.co/2D8KsyvhoJ
— Jetstar Airways (@JetstarAirways) November 27, 2018
Storms in Sydney are expected to impact some flights today. Please be sure to check our flight status page for the latest information: https://t.co/o98GcxDMsM.
— Qantas (@Qantas) November 27, 2018
There are already some flight cancellations and delays due to weather at Sydney Airport the advice is to check with your individual airline BEFORE heading to the airport today @SydneyAirport @9NewsSyd pic.twitter.com/4UTfjeLf8r
— Zara James (@Zara_James9) November 27, 2018
