Residents on the northern New South Wales coast have been warned of potentially life-threatening flash flooding as heavy falls and strong winds continue to lash the state.

The Bureau of Meteorology of Australia said that since 9am yesterday, widespread falls of 150mm to 250mm had been recorded across the northern Hunter region and the Mid North Coast.

Taree recorded the highest total so far of 267mm, with Mount Barrington (232mm) and Port Macquarie (256mm) also getting a drenching.

The Bureau said this was likely to continue through today, with heavy rain and local thunderstorms expanding through the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions, possibly as far south as below Coffs Harbour.

The rest of the coast can expect more scattered showers, with Sydney’s northern suburbs copping the worst of it in the greater metropolitan area.

The Bureau of Meteorology warned life-threatening flash flooding was possible between Seal Rocks and Nambucca Heads.

But all along the coast, ”really dangerous” beach conditions prevailed.

Schools shut down, evacuation warnings

Late last night, the NSW SES issued a stay indoors alert due to heavy and intense rain and damaging winds for Port Macquarie, Taree, Kempsey, Gloucester, Forster, Seal Rocks, Barrington Tops, Wingham and Yarrowitch.

There were multiple watch and act flood warnings across the Hunter, Mid North Coast and Coffs Coast regions.

Roads have already been flooded and dozens of flights were cancelled at Newcastle Airport on Monday as wet weather settled in across large parts of the state’s north.

Flights in and out of Newcastle Airport were interrupted by the wild weather on Monday and video from Beresfield showed traffic at a standstill from flooded roads.

The NSW Department of Education said 31 state schools and four independent schools would be temporarily closed today due to flooding across the Mid North Coast, Central Coast and Hunter regions.

Sydney was also being warned to expect wet weather.

-Agencies