Dominic Perrottet says it's heartbreaking to see the damage caused by flooding as he spends the week visiting NSW communities affected by the latest inundation.
With rain concentrating over southern NSW, a brief window of relief has opened for coastal communities as the premier continues a tour of flood-impacted towns.
There are more than 100 flood warnings stretching the length and breadth of the state as floodwaters slowly recede and the focus turns towards the massive clean up.
The premier flew to Moree in the far north on Tuesday where thousands of residents are under evacuation orders after the Mehi River reached major flood levels.
A clean up has begun with people pulling rubbish from their waterlogged homes.
On Wednesday he flew into Deniliquin, the chief town of the fertile southern Riverina region, where he said the area's losses were "heartbreaking".
"It's been a very difficult couple of years for so many people and particularly in regional communities where we've gone through drought, and that wasn't that long ago," he told reporters.
Until a week ago farmers in the region - known as the state's food bowl - were expecting a bumper harvest.
"To see that being taken away is incredibly difficult," the premier said.
Many homes were also "severely damaged" and the cleanup was going to be challenging.
"It's tough, but ... everywhere I go ... I see a really strong sense of community, optimism, strength, and that's the Australian way," he said.
He says he is heartened by the number of volunteers coming from around the country to help.
"That is the great spirit of Australia and .... that instills me with the hope and understanding and knowledge that we're going to get through it just like we got through everything else," he said.
Deputy Premier Paul Toole says the scale of the crisis is not yet clear.
"We probably won't know the full extent of it until the waters do recede and to actually see whether or not farmers can get onto their paddocks and actually make any use of the harvesting that's available to them," he said.
Flood Recovery Minister Steph Cooke has warned the flood risk will remain for days to come but commended emergency services volunteers helping people navigate the crisis.
"They just keep getting up day after day after day and working with communities and lending that support, that help where it's needed," she said.
The Bureau of Meteorology says the state's north will get a single day of dry weather on Wednesday before widespread rain returns.
Showers and storms will clear over the north and northeast, although falls will continue in the south, the BOM's Jonathan How said.
Thunderstorms will develop across eastern NSW on Thursday, with a possibility of becoming severe, he said.
Falls will persist on the coast into Friday, before warmer and drier conditions develop into the weekend.
The system follows a low which delivered rain to much of coastal NSW on Tuesday on its way south.
Major flooding continues in multiple towns including Echuca, Moama, Barham and Kerang on the NSW-Victoria border, Moree, Gunnedah and Narrabri to the north, and Hillston, Hay and Condobolin in the west.
Some 27 flood warnings have been issued, including more than a dozen for major inundation on the Gwydir, Mehi, Peel, Namoi, Macquarie, Bell, Bogan, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Murray, Edward, Barwon and Darling rivers.
