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World desk2 min

‘It was crazy’: Reported tornado sweeps through Ulladulla as severe storms hit NSW

A small tornado was reported in Ulladulla during severe storms on 3 October 2026. The SMH account describes damage and eyewitness accounts, while official classification and injury details remain unconfirmed here.
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A small tornado was reported in Ulladulla at about 1 p.m. on Saturday, 3 October 2026, as severe storms brought damaging winds, hail and heavy rain to parts of New South Wales. The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) account describes fallen trees and building damage, but no official tornado rating, damage assessment or injury update was available in the reporting cited here.

What happened in Ulladulla?

The SMH report says a small tornado passed through Ulladulla, on the NSW South Coast, at about 1 p.m. on Saturday, 3 October. It reports that trees were brought down and buildings damaged, but does not give a count of affected homes or a formal damage assessment. The account appeared on KhanList, which linked to the SMH article; the original SMH page was not accessible.

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Ulladulla mother Wishaya La Spina told the newspaper she was in a car with her baby when she saw the tornado. “It was already storming, but nothing too severe. Then the wind just started to pick up and the next minute we spotted that little tornado,” she said. La Spina also described the experience as “pretty scary” and said she was trying to protect her baby because a tree might fall.

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What is known—and not confirmed—about the damage?

The SMH report says NSW SES had recorded more than 80 incidents statewide, most of them reportedly in Ulladulla. It relays reports of roofs blown off, properties damaged and trees blocking roads. This is the incident count reported by the newspaper, not a live tally independently published here by NSW SES.

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The available account does not establish an official tornado classification or wind speed, and it does not provide an official damage survey or injury update. The absence of an injury update should not be read as confirmation that nobody was hurt.

Which areas were under severe-storm warnings?

According to the SMH account, the Bureau of Meteorology warned of severe thunderstorms and damaging wind gusts across central and south-eastern NSW, including areas around Sydney, Wollongong, Katoomba, Penrith, Parramatta and Bowral. The reported warning also cited the risk of large hail and heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding in forecast areas.

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The newspaper reported forecasts for storms to affect Wollongong, Campbelltown and Liverpool by 4:10 p.m., and Sutherland, Sydney Airport, Richmond, Penrith and Sydney Olympic Park by 4:40 p.m. Those were forecast times, not confirmed storm-arrival times.

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Separately, the Bureau’s Ulladulla coastal forecast, issued at 4:05 p.m. EST on 3 October, included a strong-wind warning for the Batemans Coast and the possibility of thunderstorm squalls north of Moruya Heads. That regional forecast provides weather context; it does not confirm the reported tornado.

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What should you do if a tornado threatens?

For general safety guidance—not a description of what happened in Ulladulla—NSW SES advises taking shelter immediately, staying away from windows, doors and outside walls, and not trying to outrun a tornado by car. If driving, seek solid shelter. Call Triple Zero in a life-threatening emergency. NSW SES issues severe-weather warnings through the Australian Warning System, while the Bureau of Meteorology issues Severe Weather and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings.

NSW SES guidance is available on its tornado safety page and storms information page.

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