Huge 500km dust storm strikes Sydney: Urgent warning issued as thick red haze shrouds the city - and it could be worse than 2009's 'red dawn'
- Wall of dust stretching almost the entire length of NSW has closed in on Sydney
- Strong winds from a low pressure system whipped up masses of dirt across NSW
- Experts warning anyone with asthma or other respiratory issues to stay indoors
- Footage of a dust storm smashing through an Outback NSW town emerged
- Filmed from White Cliffs Hotel pub, dust turns everything in sight a husky red
A 500km wall of dust stretching almost the entire length of NSW has closed in on Sydney, prompting warnings from health authorities.
Strong winds from a low pressure system has whipped up masses of dirt across the drought-stricken state, which steadily headed to the coast on Thursday morning.
The skies over Sydney turned a pale red by late morning, as weather experts warned anyone with asthma or other respiratory problems to stay indoors.
Sydney has been blanketed by a thick red haze as a dust storm sweeping across New South Wales tears its way towards the Harbour City
'It's quickly moving east,' Dean Narramore from the Bureau of Meteorology said on Thursday morning
'It's a huge system,' Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Anita Pyne said.
'We're expecting the dust to gradually increase over the next few hours, with the main band of dust to hit Sydney through the middle of the day or early afternoon. So the worst visibility is yet to occur.'
The dust is expected to keep sweeping east and may not clear the coast until Friday.
The 500km wall of dust stretching almost the entire length of NSW has prompted warnings from health authorities
Strong winds from a low pressure system has whipped up masses of dirt across the drought-stricken state, which is steadily heading to the coast
Weather experts have warned anyone with asthma or other respiratory problems to stay indoors
NSW Health is warning the dust will likely reduce air quality and has urged children, older people and those with respiratory conditions to take extra care.
'If possible, stay in air-conditioned premises where filtration systems can help to reduce dust particles in the air,' environmental health director Richard Broome said in a statement.
'Dust may aggravate existing heart and lung conditions and cause symptoms like eye irritation and cough.'
The conditions bear a striking resemblance to 2009's 'red dawn' - one of the worst dust storms in Australia's history.
Though spectacular, Mr Narramore warned such events can be potentially deadly.
A number of dust storms have already hit western parts of New South Wales in recent weeks
The skies over Sydney are expected to turn a deep red by late morning, as the dust storm moves east from western NSW
'The dust can get in [the lungs] and you start coughing and wheezing. Be careful about that out and about,' he said.
'Especially later today... There'll be a fair bit of dust blowing around as we move into late morning hours.'
While it's not yet known if the weather event will be as severe as the 2009 storm, further warnings will be issued if that is the case.
Footage of the storm, filmed from inside the White Cliffs Hotel in far west NSW on Wednesday, shows the swirling dust turn everything in sight a husky red colour.
White Cliffs Hotel Manager Olivia Probyn told Daily Mail Australia the storm had a 'mad max/apocalyptic' feel to it.
'Just blew the town red!' White Cliffs Hotel Manager Olivia Probyn told Daily Mail Australia the storm had a 'mad max/apocalyptic' feel to it
Sydneysiders have been told to brace for a dust storm (pictured is 2009's 'red dawn')
'Just blew the town red, bright red! And although it was bright it was that thick I couldn't see across the road to the general store!' she said.
The storm left dust piles everywhere and the clean up was quite the task, she added.
'[It's] still gritty but what can you do, we love [it] out in the bush... That was today...next couple of days will be interesting!' she said.
In 2009, the Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge were barely visible and flights in and out of the city were cancelled as the dust storm swept across the city.
The storm is expected to hit Sydney and Canberra on Thursday - but it is unknown if it will rival 2009's 'red dawn' (pictured are children playing in Balmain in 2009)
Bureau of Meteorology weather services manager Jane Golding said its computer model suggested Thursday's event could be comparable.
'A frontal system generates some really strong westerly winds, and that frontal system ends up producing a low pressure system to the south of the country which picks up even more vigorous winds,' Ms Golding told the ABC.
She said while the entire state and the ACT could be at risk, the dust storm's reach would depend on the strength of the winds.
An Airservices Australia spokesperson said Sydney Airport has advanced procedures to allow for landing and taking off in low visibility conditions.
However, if conditions were to worsen there is potential for flight delays.
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