Severe Thunderstorm Warning for ACT and Southeast NSW: Heavy Rainfall and Flash Flooding Risk

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for heavy rainfall. This high-priority alert was issued at 12:24 pm AEDT on Saturday, March 21, 2026, for parts of the South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains, and the Australian Capital Territory.

Affected Areas

The warning currently covers parts of the South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains, and the Australian Capital Territory forecast districts. Specific locations that may be impacted include:

• Mount Ginini
• Adaminaby
• Selwyn
• Bredbo

Note: Severe thunderstorms are no longer occurring in the South Coast and Southern Tablelands districts, and the warning for those areas has been cancelled.

What You Should Do

The State Emergency Service (SES) advises residents in the warning area to take the following precautions:

• Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.
• Do not walk, ride your bike, or drive through flood water.
• If you are trapped by flash flooding, seek refuge in the highest available place and call 000 if you require rescue.
• Stay indoors and away from windows; keep children and pets inside as well.
• For emergency help in floods and storms, contact the SES at 132 500.

Expected Conditions

An upper trough in the southeast of New South Wales is supporting the development of a slow-moving cluster of severe thunderstorms. These storms are moving slowly toward the east and northeast. The primary hazard is heavy rainfall, which is likely to lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours.

Timeline

The warning was issued at 12:24 pm on March 21, 2026. The next update is scheduled to be issued by 3:25 pm. Further warning expansions are likely throughout the remainder of the afternoon as conditions evolve.