An extensive clean-up operation continued Friday after a brief but ripping storm that dumped rain, raked the region with southerly winds, and peppered parts of Cessnock, Pokolbin and Thornton with hail the previous afternoon.
Some 5000 residents of the Hunter lost power to their homes as a southerly change brought a powerful summer thunderstorm that downed trees and limbs, in one case crashing through a Nulkaba home and in another causing a gas leak at a property at Aberdare.
State Emergency Service crews from across the region launched a clean-up operation that was expected to be finished by late Friday afternoon as first responders say summer storm season is here and are urging residents to prepare.
Strong southerly winds pushed a bulk of cold air into the region yesterday afternoon, causing muggy and hot temperatures to plummet by more than 11 degrees in some places, setting the scene for a gully-raking storm.
SES northern zone commander Andrew Cribb expected a storm-heavy summer as hot and humid conditions set a consistent theme.
The mercury creeped closer to the 30-degree marker on Friday at Tocal, Williamtown, Singleton, Scone and other inland parts of the region, as the relative humidity similarly bulged in the top percentiles.
Around 16 millimetres of rain fell over Nobbys overnight, and 21 millimetres were captured at Tocal, with lesser showers elsewhere. Mr Cribb said yesterday's storms dumped considerable rain over the region.
Still, the relatively brief deluge meant that more significant damage events like flash flooding were thankfully avoided.
There were no injuries due to the storm, and except for Nulkaba, where a large tree shattered a residential garage, the region was largely spared significant damage, he said.
Still, several trees were downed across the region, closing Mount View High School and Mount View Road, and power was still being restored to a few residents on Friday afternoon, Mr Cribb said.
Around midday, SES crews had around 30 jobs outstanding of more than 80 at the height of the storm.
Residents have been urged to prepare for further storm activity as the forecast turns grey next week by clearing gutters, securing loose outdoor items and clearing trees around the home.
Forecasters for the Bureau of Meteorology were confident that conditions would stabilise in the immediate forecast, with showers expected, but as a drier air mass moves across the region, it was unlikely to lead to further storms of the intensity seen Thursday.
Temperatures were looking warmer, with maximums above 30 degrees for Newcastle and the surrounding areas, but onshore winds next week are likely to bring a slightly cooler change.
