Road closures, school closures, flooding alerts

THE MASSIVE dump of snow across large parts of the state overnight is causing traffic chaos with major arterial roads closed and a number of schools in the Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands closed.

More than 10cm of snow fell in Katoomba with falls experienced as far north as Armidale and south to Goulburn.

It’s not often kids in NSW get a snow day, but more than 40 schools in the mountains and highlands won’t open today because of the icy conditions.

The Great Western Highway, Mitchell Highway and New England Highway have all been closed due to snow or ice on the road and police and emergency services are urging drivers to avoid non-essential travel until this cold snap thaws.

“We are urging all road users to drive to the road conditions and exercise caution. In wet and cold conditions, roads will slippery and vehicles may take longer to stop,” Assistant Commissioner John Hartley said.

The treacherous conditions have been hampering paramedics who have been trying to respond to more than 20 crashes caused by the storms and snow.

“Snow, ice, strong winds and heavy rain are making for treacherous conditions for NSW Ambulance paramedics to respond to patients,” Chief Superintendent Simon Locke said.

The major arterial road between Sydney and Melbourne, the Hume Highway, was closed near Bowral but one lane in each direction has since been opened but the RMS is warning of big delays in the area.

Residents in the Blue Mountains and Southern Highlands are also experiencing power outages with Endeavour Energy reporting 8500 customers are affected.

The State Emergency Service set up a number of refuges in the Blue Mountains to provide shelter and food to stranded motorists.

The following road and school closures will be updated as more information becomes available:

SCHOOL CLOSURES
Bald Blair Public School

Ben Lomond Public School

Bigga Public School

Binda Public School

Binya Public School

Black Springs Public School

Blackheath Public School

Blayney High School

Blayney Public School

Burraga Public School

Capertee Public School

Carcoar Public School

Crookwell High School

Crookwell Public School

Cullen Bullen Public School

Euchareena Public School

Hampton Public School

Katoomba High School

Katoomba North Public School

Katoomba Public School

Laggan Public School

Leura Public School

Lithgow Public School

Lyndhurst Public School

Mandurama Public School

Meadow Flat Public School

Megalong Public School

Nashdale Public School

Neville Public School

Niangala Public School

Oberon High School

Oberon Public School

O’Connell Public School

Portland Central School

Rockley Public School

Taralga Public School

Turnkey Creek Public School

Wallerawang Public School

Wattle Flat Public School

Wyangala Dam Public School

Wytaliba Public School
The following schools in the Southern Highlands will have limited staff and students have been advised to stay at home:
St Paul’s Moss Vale

St Thomas Aquinus, Bowral

St Michaels, Mittagong

ROAD CLOSURES

Oxley Highway – Bendemeer to Walcha

Great Western Highway – Mt Victoria to Lawson

Great Western Highway – Bathurst to Marrangaroo (West of Lithgow)

Bells Line of Road – Bell to Mt Irvine

Duckmaloi Road – Oberon (between Oberon and Jenolan Caves Rd)

O’Connell Rd – Oberon

Mid Western Highway – Cowra to Blayney

Mitchell Highway – Orange to Bathurst

Hume Motorway – Berrima (at Berrima Turnoff)

New England Highway – between Glen Innes and Armidale

Crookwell – Goulburn to Crookwell Rd

Perisher to Charlotte Pass Lookout

Khancoban to Cabramurra

Smiggin Holes to Guthega Link Rd

TRAFFIC AFFECTED

Kosciuszko National Park (all directions)

Kosciuszko Rd

Alpine Way

Snowy Mountains Hwy

Guthega Rd

Elliot Way

Perisher to Charlotte Pass Lookout (road closed at Perisher)

Khancoban to Cabramurra – road closed

Smiggin Holes to Guthega Link Rd – road closed

POWER OUTAGES

Blue Mountains: 1100 customers without supply

Southern Highlands: 1100 customers affected

FLOODING ALERTS

Coonamble

Cobar

Far Western Region – Broken Hill

Central Darling

Carrathool

Leave a Reply