Karmactive Staff
A severe winter storm hammered New South Wales over the weekend of August 2-3, 2025, bringing unprecedented snowfall to the northern tablelands, dangerous black ice on roads, and intense rainfall causing widespread flooding and power outages.
The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) responded to more than 1,455 incidents across the Upper Hunter region, Northern Tablelands, and Mid North Coast as snow reached depths of up to 50 centimeters in parts of the New England region – the heaviest snowfall seen in two decades.
The storm’s human toll became evident when a 26-year-old Chinese national went missing after being swept away by floodwaters at Rothbury in the Hunter region on Saturday night. NSW Police Detective Inspector Steve Laksa said the woman was traveling in a small car over a causeway when it was overcome by rising water.
“It was late at night, cold water, raining, very inclement weather, hard to see with the rain, so we’re probably fortunate it’s not worse, but it’s tragic as it is,” Detective Inspector Laksa said. The driver, a 27-year-old Chinese woman, managed to escape to an embankment with her dog where she was rescued.
The incident was among 11 flood rescues mainly related to people stuck in vehicles after driving into floodwater, prompting SES Assistant Commissioner Nicole Hogan to issue a stark warning: “We implore the community to never drive, walk or play in floodwater – if you come across a flooded road, turn around and find an alternative route.”
The extreme conditions left more than 27,500 homes without power across the region. Essential Energy reported that repair times remained uncertain as poor weather hampered restoration efforts in the hardest-hit areas including Kempsey, Armidale, Bulahdelah, and Walcha.
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On the roads, up to 100 vehicles became stranded in heavy snow on the New England Highway, Waterfall Way, Norris Road, and Grafton Road. Black ice created treacherous driving conditions throughout the northern tablelands.
The intense rainfall brought 24-hour totals between 50-100 millimeters across the region, with localized peaks reaching 137 millimeters in the Hunter. Major flood warnings were issued for the Hunter, Peel, and Namoi rivers, while evacuation orders were enacted in parts of Scone, Gunnedah, and Tamworth.
The Bureau of Meteorology recorded the highest rainfall at Careys Peak in the upper Hunter (141mm) and Bulahdelah on the Mid North Coast (139mm). The strongest wind gusts hit Lord Howe Island (107km/h) and Norah Head (104km/h).
The storm system even brought snow to southern Queensland around Stanthorpe and Warwick – the first snowfall there since 2015. “It was more of a flurry than settling on the ground,” the Bureau of Meteorology’s Miriam Bradbury said.
Glen Innes recorded its coldest day in 29 years of weather records, with a maximum temperature of just 4.1 degrees Celsius, while Inverell, Tamworth, and Narrabri experienced their coolest August days on record.
SES Deputy Commissioner Debbie Platz warned that despite easing precipitation, “Our focus is on the flooding which we expect to see in some areas continue overnight and into tomorrow.” She noted that 1,300 SES volunteers had already responded to almost 15,000 calls for help across the weekend.
The Bureau of Meteorology advised communities that received snowfall to be alert for black ice on roads. “It is difficult to see the ice on the road, which can make things quite treacherous,” Senior Meteorologist Gabrielle Woodhouse said.
