Severe thunderstorm heading for Sydney bringing heavy rain and damaging winds

There is a severe thunderstorm warning for large parts of New South Wales including Sydney.

Damaging winds and heavy rainfall are forecast for people in the Hunter, Metropolitan, North West Slopes and Plains and parts of Mid North Coast, Illawarra, Central Tablelands and Northern Tablelands Forecast Districts.

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said wind gusts of 78km/h have already been recorded and there are reports of trees down in Penrith, in western Sydney.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the next several hours.

Locations which may be affected include Taree, Gosford, Sydney, Armidale, Tamworth and Moree.

More to come...