The east coast low has weakened into a trough over the Hunter region, but rivers are expected to rise during this morning.
Winds have gradually eased overnight and are no longer expected to be damaging, but Hunter beaches are expected to be pounded by damaging surf today and into tomorrow.
From nine o’clock last night to four o’clock this morning, 160 millimetres of rain fell at Maitland, 124 millimetres at Gostwyk Bridge and 119 millimetres at Tocal.
A Severe Weather Warning remains in place for the region.
The State Emergency Service (SES) said moderate flooding is possible at Bugla this evening and minor flooding at Maitland from late this morning.
The SES predicts the Wollombi Brook at Bulga will exceed the minor flood level this morning and reach the moderate level of 3.7 metres tonight with further rises possible.
Minor flooding is possible along the Lower Hunter River at Maitland. The height at Belmore Bridge may reach the minor flood level of 5.9 metres at around 9am this morning with further rises possible.
Minor flooding is possible at the Paterson River at Gostwyck with the river potentially peaking at 9.1 metres this morning.
Low lying rural properties and roads may be affected at Gostwyck and at Paterson.
Commuter problems continue with buses replacing trains on the Hunter line between Newcastle interchange and Scone and Dungog due to water over the train tracks at Sandgate.
There are a number of road closures this morning as well including the Golden Highway still being cut in both directions at the New England Highway intersection at Whittingham, Wine Country Drive between Tuckers Lane and McDonalds Road at North Rothbury is also still closed in both directions.
There are a number of localised road closures as well:
Newline Road, Raymond Terrace at the roundabout. Traffic is diverted up Beaton Avenue. High Street, Wallalong. Old punt road, Tomago
Maitland Vale Road, Rosebrook (near Maitland Vale/Luksintyre Melville Ford Bridge Gullivers Lane, Louth Park Dickenson Road, Melville Wollombi Road at intersection with New England Highway, Rutherford (lane exiting Wollombi Road onto NEH closed. Other lane open) Allandale Road, Allandale Shipley Drive, Rutherford between the roundabout and Harvey Norman Drive cautiously. Water over the road at:
Intersection Young Street and New England Highway, Rutherford River Road, Windella Raymond Terrace Road near Mcfarlanes Road, Thornton Mcfarlanes Road, Chisholm Morpeth Road near Linuwel School, Raworth Aberglasslyn Road near Mckeachies Run, Aberglasslyn Oakhampton Road, Oakhampton Dalveen Road, Bolwarra
Wine Country Drive from Wilderness Road through to Tuckers Lane, North RothburyOld North Road from Wine Country Drive through to Hermitage RoadRichmond Vale Road from Whitebridge Road through to Bluegum Road McDonalds Road, Pokolbin, from Deasys Road to Wine Country Drive Hermitage Road, from Mistletoe Lane through to the highway at Branxton.