Major storm cleanup after wild weather leaves path of destruction

Storm-battered communities in eastern Australia are facing a major cleanup after yesterday's wild weather, with a warning of more severe conditions today.

In New South Wales, large areas were lashed by hail and torrential rain yesterday, while a tornado struck a regional city.

The State Emergency Service responded to 456 calls for help overnight and that number is likely to rise through today.

READ MORE: 'Fast-moving' storms batter Sydney and the east coast

The worst hit areas were in Armidale, Mount Druitt, Penrith, Newcastle, the Central Coast and south towards Nowra. where 74mm of rain was received over 24 hours.

NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Scott Dodson told Today that clean-up operations are continuing today.

He said shoppers were lucky to escape uninjured at Westfield shopping centre in Mt Druitt, in Sydney's west, after the roof partially collapsed during the storm.

NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent Scott Dodson told Today that clean-up operations are continuing today.

He said shoppers were lucky to escape uninjured at Westfield shopping centre in Mt Druitt, in Sydney's west, after the roof partially collapsed during the storm.

"I look at that vision and you think, wow how did everyone get out alive ... you've got the electricity," Mr Dodson said.

"You have the electricity in there as well, plus all the stuff falling.

"They were very lucky to survive this one."

READ MORE: NSW residents get more Dine and Discover vouchers to boost economy

Shoppers were evacuated as hail fell through the ceiling at the Best & Less store.

Several customers were still inside, and one shopper slipped on the water on their way out the door.

Structural engineers have been on-site assessing the damage.

The shopping centre had only reopened three days ago after lockdown.

A spokesperson from Westfield Mt Druitt said no one was injured.

And overnight a tornado hit the NSW country town of Armidale, with footage showing the twister circling over properties.

READ MORE: Tornado hits Armidale

It struck just after midnight and tore rooves off houses, brought power lines down and even upended cars.

Residents posted images of golf ball-sized hailstones that fell during the storm.

Mr Dodson said emergency crews are heading to Armidale today.

"A lot of damage up in the Armidale area overnight. Fire and Rescue is working with SES up there.

"We have just formed some strike teams to go out there and assist the community in there and assist the community in the clean-up."

The worst-hit suburbs in Sydney were Penrith and Mount Druitt but the extreme conditions also stretched north to Newcastle and the Central Coast.

And on the NSW South Coast, Nowra has copped 74mm of rain in the past 24 hours much.

Queensland

Residents are bracing for more wild weather today, with a severe warning issued for large parts of the state.

Up to 93mm of rain fell in parts of Queensland's south-east when it was smashed by an intense storm yesterday, sparking road crashes and localised flooding.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Bundaberg, Maryborough, Hervey Bay, Fraser Island, Biloela and Mount Morgan.

"Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours," it said.

A severe storm warning for Brisbane and surrounds has been cancelled.

However a sunny weekend is forecast once the storms clear.

Victoria

Hail fell across in one Victorian community and it was so thick residents even made snowmen from it.

In Melton, 35km west of Melbourne, about 7cm of hail fell within a five-block radius at the suburb of Fraser Rise.

While adults brushed the ice from their vehicles, children played in the snow-like conditions and built snowmen from the hail.

Elsewhere in Victoria, there was flash flooding in Geelong and Gippsland in Traralgon.

The Bureau of Meteorology says the weather system has been weakening but there will be strong wind and heavy rain across later today.

There will be localised thunderstorms expected in the east and a flood warning remains for central Victoria.