Wild winds buffet Sydney as warning issued

Wild winds have battered much of Sydney eastern coastline overnight with gusts of up to 50 km/h from the south bringing trees down and sending loose items flying through Sydney’s CBD.

The NSW State Emergency Service also received a number of calls for help as gusts ripped through Sydney’s suburbs.

The Bureau of Meterology (BOM) has issued a strong marine wind warning for Sydney, the Hunter coast, the Illawarra coast and coastal areas of Batemans Bay.

In Lane Cove, a fallen tree is affecting traffic on Centennial Avenue with motorists advised to exercise caution and follow directions of clean-up crews on the scene.

The strong south westerly winds also drove down the temperature for much of Sydney, marking a dramatic change from yesterday’s 27 degrees to a more temperate 19 degrees later today.

According to the BOM, Sydneysiders will wake to strong southerly winds hitting highs of 35 km/h before turning to the south east and falling to tops of 20 km/h during the afternoon and evening.