Illawarra’s wet and stormy weather expected to continue into March

BRACE for a wet and stormy end to summer.

The Bureau of Meteorology is expecting Illawarra’s wet weather to continue into March after rain flooded several roads in the region, including at Stanwell Park and Woonona last week.

Northern suburbs’ residents are advised to stay safe by keeping out of the water – especially swollen creek and estuaries.

Wollongong City Council General Manager Greg Doyle said whether a body of water is moving or pooling it is still a hazard and safety risk and is warning against entering flooded creeks and estuaries.

“No matter how strong a swimmer you may think you are, this sort of water can often hide branches, rubbish, sewerage, bugs, and can change conditions unpredictably,” he said.

“There’s never a good reason to enter the water, and that also means not driving through flooded areas. Over the next week as we continue to experience heavy rainfall, let’s all keep each other safe by staying out of our creeks and estuaries.”

At the same time, parks and sportsgrounds are holding plenty of extra water and moisture. Council have closed sportsgrounds to help give them a chance to recover.

“Whilst our parks are standing up pretty well despite all the rain, we’re asking people to give the fields and parks a bit of a break so that they can dry up and recover. Too much rain makes the ground soggy and play in wet weather can damage the surface,” Mr Doyle said.

“We’re also conscious that we’re experiencing the perfect weather for growing grass, weeds and for the development of potholes. Potholes happen when vehicles drive over a spot that has been weakened by rain seeping into the road pavement.

“The good news is that we’re doing everything we can to respond. As the rain eases, our crews will be out filling any potholes and cutting long grass. We’re sure there will be high demand for our services once the weather clears, so we’ll be prioritising jobs based on a needs basis.

“We thank our community for their understanding and patience as we meet the extra challenges lots of wet weather brings.”

A pothole on a Council road can be reported report with an online form or call on (02) 4227 7111.

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