UPDATE
A well-known Hunter pub has been inundated by floodwater, with an extraordinary photo showing the effects of the severe weather lashing the region on Tuesday.
Floodwater entered the Wollombi Tavern and was climbing towards the height of the bar just after lunchtime, owner Chris Books told the Newcastle Herald.
Mr Books said the rain had eased in the small tourist town, but he had heard of at least three homes that had been overrun by floodwater on Tuesday.
"The trouble with floods - I'm a member of the RFS, when there's a fire you can do something about it - you just can't do anything about a flood," he said.
Mr Books said the major flood level of 12.2m had been broken and the Bureau of Meteorology was predicting it to reach 13.5m - about 200mm higher than the flood during the 2007 Pasha Bulker storm - later on Tuesday.
Having seen-off bushfires and the COVID-19 pandemic before being struck by a major flood, Mr Books said he remained an optimist but conceded the aftermath of this week's weather event would "be tough".
Meanwhile, a third tug boat - the Glenrock - has travelled through 10m seas from Newcastle to help Portland Bay, the bulk carrier stranded off the Illawarra coast.
EARLIER
Weather warnings have been put in place for the Hunter region on Tuesday morning as strong winds and heavy rain sweep the east coast.
The NSW State Emergency Service is moving extra resources to the Hunter in anticipation of the severe weather continuing to move north into the region throughout Tuesday before heading to the Mid North Coast on Wednesday.
Bureau of Meteorology spokesperson Jane Golding said on Tuesday that the agency was focusing on the Hunter and Central Coast and that more than 100mm of rain could be expected in the Lake Macquarie, Cessnock and Newcastle areas.
Ms Golding said there were signs of a low pressure system developing off the coast which could mean heavy rain on the Mid North Coast, up to Coffs Harbour, on Wednesday.
"Pretty treacherous conditions still exist on the Sydney coast and the Hunter coast," she said.
The BoM recorded wind gusts up to 40km/h at Nobbys late on Monday night, while 86.6mm of rain fell at the Cooranbong weather station at Lake Macquarie between 9am on Monday and 7am on Tuesday.
The weather bureau has a severe weather warning in place for damaging winds and heavy rainfall for parts of the Hunter and coastal areas of Sydney, with a trough over the Central Coast predicted to cause possible flash-flooding and potential three-hourly rainfall totals between 40mm and 65mm.
Cessnock, Maitland, Dungog, Gosford, Sydney and Kulnura are among the locations that could be affected, the BoM said in its warning.
A damaging surf warning is also in place for the Hunter, Sydney metropolitan and Illawarra districts.
A flood warning is in place for Wollombi Brook and the Lower Hunter River, with minor inundation possible at Singleton and Maitland on Tuesday afternoon after peaks were reached on Monday evening.
The river could get to a minor flood level of 10m at Singleton on Tuesday afternoon.
The BoM said major flooding was occurring at Wollombi Brook at Bulga on Tuesday morning and moderate flooding was taking place at Wollombi.
The Golden Highway was closed in both directions between the New England Highway and Range Road at Whittingham because of flooding on Tuesday morning.
Cessnock Road at Testers Hollow - between Gillieston Heights and Cliftleigh - is also closed due to flooding.
State Emergency Services commissioner Carlene York said extra resources were being sent north of Sydney, in line with the forecast movement of the weather.
She urged people to heed orders and advice from the emergency service and called on people to avoid all but essential travel until the dangerous weather passes.
The federal and state governments on Tuesday morning announced a list of 23 local government areas that would be eligible for jointly-funded disaster relief money - including at Cessnock and on the Central Coast.
NSW emergency services and resilience minister Steph Cooke said the funding would provide immediate help to people who have lost or suffered damage to their homes or property during the latest weather event.
There will also be freight subsidies for primary producers, support for councils with clean-up costs and concessional interest rate loans for small businesses, primary producers and non-profit organisations.
"While we are still very much in the emergency response phase of this developing weather event, as waters recede we will work with communities to asses longer term recovery needs and ensure appropriate long-term support is provided," Ms Cooke said.
Meanwhile, the weather has caused the postponement o f Stroud's brick and rolling pin throwing competition, which was due to be held this Saturday.
