Govind Tekale
Strong westerly winds exceeding 100kph have forced Sydney Airport to switch to single runway operations, causing significant flight delays and cancellations across the region on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. The powerful Antarctic blast has brought icy conditions and damaging winds that continue to disrupt air travel and cause widespread damage.
“Airservices Australia has now enacted single runway operations at Sydney Airport due to strong westerly winds,” a spokesman confirmed. “This adheres to our International Civil Aviation Organisation safety regulations for runway usage amid inclement weather.”
Wind gusts reaching 93kph were recorded at Sydney Airport, creating challenging crosswind conditions across all six available landing and takeoff options. Crosswinds are particularly dangerous during landing and takeoff, as they can push aircraft sideways across the runway.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued severe weather warnings for NSW, including Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Illawarra, and Wollongong. Particularly strong gusts were recorded throughout the Illawarra region – Bellambi saw winds reaching 117kph, while Nowra experienced 106kph winds and Port Kembla recorded 104kph.
In South Australia, damaging winds reached around 90kph, affecting areas like the Mount Lofty Ranges and Adelaide Metropolitan area. A “Code Blue” emergency response was activated in South Australia to provide support for individuals sleeping rough during the extreme cold. The BOM also issued a coastal hazard warning for South Australia, with reports of some jetties being damaged by abnormally high tides.
Both Virgin Australia and Qantas confirmed flight cancellations, with Virgin stating they had contacted affected passengers about disruptions. One young couple who landed at Sydney Airport with their new baby described their experience as frightening.
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“It was shaking a lot, it was pretty scary,” the mother told reporters. “We knew there would be a big wind but we weren’t expecting it would be that bad, but we landed safely,” added the father.
The winds haven’t just affected air travel. Emergency services have been overwhelmed with calls for assistance. The State Emergency Service (SES) has responded to over 500 calls since midnight, with incidents including damaged roofs, fallen trees, and fires. In Wollongong’s CBD, a beauty business on Keira Street had its roof ripped off by strong gusts, and Wollongong Hospital sustained damage but reported no impact on patients or services.
Nearly 20,000 homes and businesses lost power across New South Wales. Endeavour Energy crews managed to restore power to about 10,000 properties, but warned some customers might remain without electricity until Thursday afternoon. The worst-affected areas included Unanderra, Berkeley, Ulladulla, Berry and North Nowra. Kate McCue from Endeavour Energy told the ABC that crews had received 392 hazard reports, which were delaying restoration work.
Train services between Kiama and Bomaderry were disrupted after trees fell across tracks at Gerringong, with buses replacing trains according to Transport for NSW.
Melbourne Airport also experienced disruptions, with passengers advised to monitor their flight schedules. The Bureau of Meteorology indicated that while conditions might ease somewhat by Wednesday evening, winds are predicted to intensify again on Friday as further fronts move through southern parts of the country.
For travelers affected by today’s Sydney Airport delays, airlines recommend checking flight status before traveling to the airport, as operations may continue to be impacted throughout the day.
