Tornadoes, heavy rainfall and hail have hit eastern and southern Australia in an active start to the storm season, with further severe thunderstorm warnings issued today for parts of NSW and Queensland.

The Bureau of Meteorology says two tornadoes occurred on Thursday afternoon, one near Bathurst and the other near Narrabri. Other reports of possible tornadoes remain unverified, but are being examined.

The strength of the tornado near Bathurst is still being assessed, Bureau of Meteorology Manager NSW and ACT Agata Imielska says.

“It caused damage to houses, trees and powerlines, stretching from the northwest to southeast in a roughly 30km line,” she said this afternoon.

The tornadoes, which are rare in Australia, are part of a larger severe weather system that has been impacting a wide area since about Wednesday. Further warnings of severe thunderstorms likely to produce damaging winds, large hail and heavy rainfall were issued for NSW and southeast Queensland this afternoon.

“This has been the first really significant thunderstorm outbreak heading into our storm season,” Ms Imielska said.

Large to giant hail and 85 kph wind gusts were recorded at Bourke on Wednesday. Walgett received double its monthly average rainfall for September in one day and heavy rain fell in Canberra.

The Bureau of Meteorology also says parts of northern NSW will experience increased bushfire risk through the long weekend, particularly on Sunday and Monday. Residents were urged to remain alert for warnings from fire services.

The NSW storm season runs from October to the end of March, with the State Emergency Service last season responding to 30,000 calls for help and carrying out more than 1000 flood rescues.

In Victoria, record daily rainfall totals were recorded this week in the Otway ranges at Mt Cowley, Benwerrin and Mt Sabine, while parts of Gippsland have received record daily rainfall for September.

Hail and heavy rainfall also hit SA, with Mt Lofty in the Adelaide Hills receiving 63mm in the 24 hours to Thursday morning, while 82mm was recorded at Crafers West.