More than 120,000 homes across Sydney were without power after lighting strikes
An unstable air mass combined with an upper trough produced wild weather across large parts of the state late Wednesday, leaving behind a trail of destruction in its wake.
Damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall smashed not only Sydney but also the Hunter, the Mid North Coast, Illawarra, Central Tablelands, North West Slopes and Plains and Northern Tablelands districts.
Wind gusts exceeding 100km/h were reported at Sydney Airport, Kurnell, Scone, Murrurindi Gap, Tamworth, Merriwa, Dubbo, Mullion, Bombala, Trangie, Cowra, Walgett, Cabrumurra and Wagga Wagga.
The worst of the weather isn't over yet with severe thunderstorms and heavy rain forecast in some regions on Thursday.
More than 200,000 homes across Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong were without power late Wednesday night due to lightning strikes with energy providers scrambling to restore electricity services.
The NSW SES was inundated with more than 1,240 calls for help with more than a third of the requests in Sydney for fallen trees, leaks, and roofs blown off buildings.
Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, a man aged in his 80s was killed after a tree struck his car while driving in 107km/h winds in Cowra in central-west NSW.
A severe thunderstorm smashed Sydney around 8pm on Wednesday. Pictured are the impacted areas
Multiple campers were injured when their demountable huts flipped in high winds at Bomen while trees fell onto vehicles at Tarcutta near Wagga Wagga
SES crews received more than 200 calls for help in the region.
Sydney Airport was forced to temporarily ground all flights.
Arriving flights were diverted to other airports and departing aircraft were returned to their gates.
'Due to heavy storm activity, there have been flight delays, cancellations and diversions,' a spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
Power outrages also brought light rail services to a halt in the CBD between Town Hall and Circular Quay.
Stranded commuters were advised to walk or use alternative transport.
Multiple train stations were also left without power after a day of rail chaos, including Lidcombe, Cabramatta and Flemington.
Town Hall train station was flooded while T9 services were suspended between Epping and Hornsby after a tree fell onto wiring at Normanhurst.
The A-League women's game between Sydney FC and Canberra United at Leichhardt Oval was suspended mid-match due to a pitch blackout and abandoned shortly afterwards. The Sky Blues were leading 2-0 at the time.
Sydneysiders took to social media to describe the chaos as 'never seen anything like this' in the city.
One woman recorded a video of rain flying sideways due to strong winds in the city's outer suburbs.
Another filmed the storm's front as lightning could be seen illuminating the sky over and over.
'I can't think of the last time I saw a storm like this. The lightning is insane,' he wrote.
'Did anyone order an apocalypse,' another man asked.
Sheep graziers in the state's south and ACT are warned that cold temperatures, rain and south to southwesterly winds will continue on Thursday.
'Areas likely to be affected include the Snowy Mountains forecast district and parts of the Illawarra, South Coast, Southern Tablelands and Australian Capital Territory. There is a risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to these conditions,' an alert stated.
Severe thunderstorm warnings remain in place for the NSW mid north coast, South Coast, Snowy Mountains and Northern Tablelands late Wednesday night.
Heavy rainfall was forecast to continue in the Illawarra, South Coast and Southern Tablelands regions.
A hazardous surf warning has been issued for the NSW coast stretching from the Hunter in the north to Batemans Bay in the south.
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