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Newcastle Herald

Simon McCarthy

Beaches fill for sunny penultimate day of 2023, but new year showers in the forecast

New Years Peter Lorimer

Beaches filled on Saturday for a sunny and warm day on the penultimate day of 2023. Showers in the forecast have organisers gearing New Years contingencies for revels on the Foreshore on Sunday. Pictures by Peter Lorimer

Organisers of the city's New Year's Eve fireworks display were hoping for a finer turn of weather than had rolled over Newcastle earlier this week as preparations for the weekend's celebrations went ahead on Saturday.

As many as 30,000 revellers were expected at Newcastle Foreshore to ring-in the new year where the annual fireworks display was slated to begin at 9pm, among a swag of family attractions.

Contingencies, however, were in place leaving organisers assured after severe storms earlier in the week and the chance of showers forecast on Saturday and Sunday.

Heavy rain and strong winds preceded a dusting of small hail across Newcastle on Friday afternoon, December 29, as lightning strikes peppered the suburbs and as many as 1600 homes lost power.

Fires and hazards from lightning strikes were also reported in the Hunter. A spokesperson from Fire and Rescue NSW said crews were responding to calls across the region following severe weather.

A fire was reported west of the M1 in Killingworth shortly before 3:30pm. It was not yet known if the fire began from lightning.

A lightning strike appeared to hit a tree in the grounds of Waratah Public School. Picture supplied

Forecasters expected a partly cloudy afternoon on Saturday, before the chance of an evening shower as the mercury reached 26 degrees.

Tops of 23 degrees and cloudy on Sunday, with the chance of further showers in the morning.

A spokesperson for the City of Newcastle, which coordinates the New Year's Eve celebration, encouraged the community to keep abreast of updates through the city's social media accounts in the event of inclement weather.

Ifritah fire dancers Wolf (front) and Kiki (back) Ifritah will send sparks flying on New Year's Eve. Picture by Jonathan Carroll

It was slightly warmer in the Upper Hunter - Scone reached 25 degrees on Saturday, with 23 degrees elsewhere - but with that increase in temperature comes a greater risk of thunderstorms late on New Year's Eve.

"Severe thunderstorms will become more widespread from this weekend," Bureau of Meteorologist senior meteorologist Sarah Scully told the Newcastle Herald.

"The focus areas will be northeast NSW and southeast and central Queensland."

A finer day on Saturday saw countless beachgoers flock to the shoreline as an army of surf lifesavers patrolled the breaks.

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