Christmas Day weather: Australia’s east coast braces for intense storms as flash flooding prompts rescues in NSW

‘Thundery’ weather forecast for Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne as SES clean up after Sunday’s significant storms

Flash floods have prompted multiple rescues and calls for help as thunderstorms brought hail, damaging winds and heavy rainfall to areas across New South Wales stretching to the Queensland and Victorian borders.

Almost 600 NSW State Emergency Service volunteers responded to calls for assistance late on Christmas Eve, including 25 separate flood rescue incidents, the bulk of them in the Sydney and Illawarra areas.