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Port Macquarie battered by sudden hail storm, as wild weather hits NSW Mid North Coast

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A sudden and intense hailstorm has battered parts of the NSW Mid North Coast, with some hailstones the size of golf balls.

NSW State Emergency Service (SES) crews are now responding to more than 120 calls for assistance, with cars, caravans and solar hot water systems among property damaged.

Port Macquarie resident Taylor Bryant said the storm hit suddenly.

“The hail belted down to the point that it smashed our skylight and it was like a waterfall coming through the bathroom and our downstairs light,” Ms Bryant said.

“We have never experienced hail like this before.”

Another Port Macquarie resident, Tiffany Scutts, said it was hard to open their front door at the height of the storm.

hail covers a grassy backyard, like a dusting of snow, and fills potplants
Residents across the Mid North Coast, including in Port Macquarie, reported large hailstones this afternoon.(Supplied: Taylor Bryant)

“It was smashing up under the porch and hitting us hard. I couldn’t believe the intensity and speed the hailstones were coming at,” she said.

SES spokesperson Andrew Edmunds said the storm swept through at about 4pm, with Port Macquarie the town hardest hit, and parts of the Camden Haven also affected.

He said about an hour after the storm the SES had already received nearly 120 calls for assistance, and that number was expected to keep rising into the evening, with crews from Port Macquarie, the Camden Haven and Taree assisting.

Large hailstones in a woman's hand.
Large hailstones damaged houses and other property.(Supplied: Catherine Shaw)

“Seventy-seven of those calls for assistance were reporting roof damage,” Mr. Edmunds said.

“we’ve had 11 jobs at Camden Haven and the rest are in the Port Macquarie area.

“So, we have seen an intense hailstorm fall in a very quick space of time. Crews have reported golf ball-sized hail and widespread damage.

“We are expecting to see an increase in incidents as people return home from work and come across damage to their premises. The number of calls has been growing steadily.”

Local school impacted

Hail stones across a school lawn.
Hail battered The Nature School Primary in Port Macquarie.(Supplied: Catherine Shaw)

The Nature School Primary in Port Macquarie was hit hard by the hail storm, forced to embark on a clean up to make the site safe for students to return tomorrow.

Catherine Shaw, head of the Nature School Primary, said the storm “came out of the blue”.

“Students had left for the afternoon … there were huge hail stones coming down onto the building which increased in size and intensity for quite some time,” Ms Shaw said.

Large hailstones on the ground around two outdoor pots.
Hailstones at The Nature School Primary in Port Macquarie.( Supplied: Catherine Shaw, The Nature School)

“I was making a decision about whether we could even open the school tomorrow, but thanks to the strength of our beautiful parent community I have about a dozen parents helping clean up the school to make it safe.

“There’s debris everywhere we are lucky there’s no damage to the actual building.”

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