Large hailstones and flash flooding are expected to hit the Sydney area this afternoon.

The Bureau of Meteorology has two weather warnings in place for severe thunderstorms in the area, and says showers and storms will continue into next week.

“Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours,” the bureau says.

“Locations which may be affected include Bowral, Campbelltown, Braidwood, Katoomba, Goulburn and Captains Flat.”

Already 29mm of rainfall has been recorded in just 30 minutes at Murray’s Flat near Goulburn, and 43mm in two hours at Goulburn Water Treatment Works.

“We’re expecting showers and storms to increase over eastern parts of NSW and southeast Queensland over the coming days as a coastal trough deepens, dragging humid air down from the tropics,” the Bureau said.

“A number of short-lived low-pressure systems are expected to develop along the trough near the NSW coast, acting as a focal point for showers and severe storms and possibly locally heavy rainfall.”

Tomorrow the heaviest of the rainfall will shift further to the north.

“Severe thunderstorms may produce locally very heavy rainfall, and large hail and damaging winds are also a risk,” the bureau says.

“Showers and storms are likely to continue to impact parts of eastern Australian into next week as the system stalls about the coast.”