A dust storm that engulfed parts of Australia’s outback has swept through Sydney, sparking public health warnings over poor air quality.

The country’s biggest city was blanketed in thick haze on Thursday morning as the storm front, caused by strong winds whipping up dust in drought-affected areas, made its way through the city. By late afternoon skies over the central business district were much clearer.

Air quality was rated as “very poor” in the east and southwest regions of the city and “hazardous” in the northwest by the state government’s environment department, which warned people with heart or lung disease to stay indoors as much as possible.

A similar weather event hit back in 2009, as a dust storm blanketed the city in an orange glow and caused the state government to lift its air quality warning to “hazardous.”

Australia is the driest inhabited continent on the planet and farmers in parts of the country have been struggling amid severe drought conditions for much of the year.–Bloomberg</s>Sydney and Canberra could be blanketed by a red haze today with the possibility of a dust storm sweeping across NSW.

Forecasters have told news.com.au the sky is already beginning to fill with a light dust in parts of Sydney, the Central Coast and Illawarra.

However the main band of thicker dust is still on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range and it the dust is expected to gradually thicken over Sydney in the next few hours.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Anita Pyne told news.com.au the peak of the storm will hit Sydney early this afternoon - and there is already a "red haze" effect in Canberra.

She said it is still unkown how severe the storm in Sydney will be, but added she couldn't rule out a "major event" like the city's spectacular 2009 dust storm.

"It's going to be very windy and unpleasant later today, bu the system is going to be moving east into the ocean and clearing overnight," she said.

"There is already a red sky effect in Canberra this morning, with potential for showers today, which could potentially clear the air."

Forecasters are closely monitoring a system headed towards the state and associated high winds that could pick up masses of loose dust caused by drought conditions.

"The strong winds associated with this dry soil, with a lack of vegetation, are the perfect conditions to pick up the dust, lift it up into the atmosphere and bring it east with the winds," Ms Pyne said. "If it does happen it could have big impact. Dust storms can affect transport and even stop planes from landing."

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. Parts of the state have already experienced dust storms this week with Griffith in southwest NSW covered by dust on Tuesday.

It's unknown if the weather event will be as severe as the 2009 Sydney dust storm but warnings will be issued if that is the case.

"We really have to wait and see," Ms Pyne said.

Strong winds will cause severe fire danger on Thursday for the Greater Hunter region and increase the danger in the Sydney and Illawarra area

It comes after an awe-struck pub owner captured the moment an insane dust storm "blew away" her outback town on Tuesday.

Olivia Probyn, the manager of the White Cliffs Hotel, in the remote town of White Cliffs in northwest NSW, said one moment the tiny outback community was going about its day, and five minutes later it was cloaked in an eerie blanket of red dust - obscuring everything in sight.

She said it descended on the town unexpectedly yesterday, after locals spotted it brewing in the distance five minutes before it struck.

"It was incredible, everything turned red and it just blew the town away," she told news.com.au. "It was so thick that I couldn't even see the corner shop across the road. It was that bad."

Ms Probyn said it's the second major dust storm to lash the town this month after another similar occurrence on Melbourne Cup day.

"They don't hit often, but when they do they hit hard," she said. "It was spectacular and I didn't know what to do after.

"Everything was covered in dust and it was getting in through the cracks in the building because it's quite an old pub, the tiling was covered in thick mud so there was a big clean-up."

Ms Probyn uploaded dramatic footage of the storm onto Facebook and within hours it had racked up thousands of views from users who left comments expressing shock and gratitude they weren't caught in the wild storm.

"Yikes!!," wrote one commenter. "Thank goodness we didn't have to go through this that night we went to White Cliffs."

And, if you think this ridiculous weather is reserved for the outback, think again.

Sydney could find itself blanketed by a red haze later this week with the possibility of a dust storm sweeping across NSW.

Forecasters are closely monitoring a system headed towards the state and associated high winds that could pick up masses of loose dust caused by drought conditions.

The conditions are looking similar to those that led to the Sydney dust storm of September 2009, which blanketed Sydney as well as the rest of NSW.

There were more than 130 calls for help due to breathing difficulties, re-routed flights and smoke alarms ringing across the city as the wild storm hit nine years ago.

It was so bad, that it inspired Oscar-winning Blade Runner 2049 cinematographer Roger Deakins' post-apocalyptic, dust-filled version of Las Vegas in the 2017 sci-fi blockbuster.

Bureau of Meteorology weather services manager Jane Golding told ABC the chances of a dust storm forming in Sydney this week were "pretty high".

A cold front which moved through South Australia yesterday, along with a low pressure trough over New South Wales, is responsible for the current storm threat.

However, whether a storm forms in Sydney depends on the strength of the winds.

It comes just two weeks after drought-hit western NSW farmers had to contend with a horrendous dust storm rolling across the region.

Walls of dust descended on November 8 ahead of thunderstorms which brought between five and 15mm of rain, providing some relief for graziers but well short of drought-breaking falls.</s>A daunting dust storm blanketing Australia's outback this week is headed right for Sydney.

Footage of the storm, filmed from inside the White Cliffs Hotel, far west NSW, shows the swirling dust turn everything in sight a husky red colour.

The storm is expected to hit Sydney and Canberra on Thursday - but it is unknown if it will rival 2009's 'red dawn'.

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, 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,' she said.

'That was today...next couple of days will be interesting!'

Forecasters are closely monitoring a system headed toward NSW and associated high winds that could pick up masses of loose dust caused by drought conditions.

'The strong winds associated with this dry soil, with a lack of vegetation, are the perfect conditions to pick up the dust, lift it up into the atmosphere and bring it east with the winds,' Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Anita Pyne said.

'If it does happen it could have big impact. Dust storms can affect transport and even stop planes from landing.'

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.

Parts of the state have already experienced dust storms this week, with Griffith in southwest NSW covered by dust on Tuesday.

Strong winds will cause severe fire danger on Thursday for the Greater Hunter region and increase the danger in the Sydney and Illawarra area.

The conditions bear a strikingly similar resemblance to 2009's 'red dawn' - one of the worst dust storms in Australia's history.

The Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge were barely visible and flights in and out of the city were cancelled.

Bureau of Meteorology weather services manager Jane Golding said its computer model suggested this week'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.

'If the winds are gale force it might make it all the way to the coast. If they are down in the fresh range, so maybe only around 40 kilometres an hour… the dust might not even make it to Canberra,' she said.

'At the moment the guidance is pointing to some pretty strong winds, but we'll just have to see how the front and the low pressure system develop.'

A number of dust storms have already hit western parts of New South Wales in recent weeks, with one raging through the town of White Cliffs earlier this month

There were similar scenes 231.5 kilometres away in Milpanika, while in October, the skies above Broken Hill were turned a deep red as a dust stormed engulfed the rural city.</s>SYDNEY
• A dust storm that engulfed parts of Australia's outback has swept through the country's biggest city, sparking public health warnings over poor air quality.

Sydney was blanketed in thick haze yesterday morning as the storm front, caused by strong winds whipping up dust in drought-affected areas, made its way through the city. By late afternoon, skies over the central business district were much clearer.

Air quality was rated as very poor in the east and south-west regions of the city and hazardous in the north-west by the state environment department, which warned people with heart or lung disease to stay indoors.

Mr Adam Morgan of the Bureau of Meteorology said a low pressure system over South Australia and Victoria states had pushed strong winds across areas of western New South Wales that have experienced one of the worst drought seasons in years.

"This is the typical time of year for dust storms through inland Australia, but it is quite rare for dust to reach the east coast," he said.

Australia is the driest inhabited continent on the planet and farmers in parts of the country have been struggling amid severe drought conditions for much of the year.</s>A LARGE DUST storm has swirled over eastern Australia, driven over the coast by a weather front barrelling across the drought-stricken interior.

Authorities warned residents of Sydney and other parts of New South Wales state who had respiratory or cardiovascular conditions to limit their time outdoors until the dust settled.

The dust storm stretches about 500km across and is driven by some of the worst droughts in the country for hundreds of years.

Dried soil makes it easier for wind to pick up dust, resulting in the huge dust storm.

Adam Morgan of the Bureau of Meteorology said a low pressure system over South Australia and Victoria states had pushed strong winds across areas of western New South Wales that have experienced one of the worst drought seasons in years.

“This is the typical time of year for dust storms through inland Australia, but it is quite rare for dust to reach the east coast,” he said.

Sydneysiders woke to find a haze over the city Thursday, but the air had cleared by the afternoon.</s>Dust storms that have engulfed some towns in outback NSW could make their way to Canberra on Thursday.

Canberrans woke to dust hanging over the capital on Thursday, after a night of heavy rain.

Canberra Airport recorded 22mm of rain overnight. Most of that fell between 2 and 4am.

The dust has blown into the territory from western NSW, where towns such as White Cliffs, 1000 kilometres by road northwest of Sydney, were left a glowing red after being cloaked in dirt on Tuesday.</s>The worst of the dust storm hit Sydney on Wednesday morning but Southern Australia’s authorities have warned residents of the extremely dangerous quality of the air, with particular regard to people with heart and lung conditions. The Ministry of Health for New South Wales (NSW), Australia, has issued a sever warning as the orange dust storm could be potentially dangerous for anyone.

NSW director of environmental health Dr Richard Broome said: “I think it’s important for the rest of the day people are cautious.” NSW Ambulance assistant commissioner Tony Gately told The Sydney Morning Herald: "So far today we have responded to around 90 cases of asthma or breathing difficulties right across Sydney, which is a significant peak." Mr Gately said the state's ambulance service was receiving around eight calls an hour from people with breathing problems. He added: "Conditions like asthma can be deadly and to take risks in the current conditions would be very ill-advised."

The Bureau of Meteorology warned the dust storm could last for an extra couple of days, despite reducing in intensity as it leaves the region. Bureau of Meteorology severe weather manager Simon Louis said the dust storm was among hazardous weather across the state, with strong 90km/h and extremes - bushfire warnings in some areas and snow in others. He added: “The cold front has also brought over dry weather into the east of NSW and there’s a fire warning for the Hunter Valley.

“It’s also bringing quite cold air behind it and we’ve had snow in the alpine region.” The thick haze has completely covered Sydney landmarks. The famous Sydney Opera House was barely visible at times, even at the height of 309m above the city. The storm is caused by strong winds picking up dry soil in a country where many parts have been suffering from drought. Australia's worst dust storm in recent years was in September 2009, when the dust stretched 310 miles wide and 620 miles long.</s>A 500km long wall of dust stretching almost the entire length of NSW is bearing down 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 is steadily heading to the coast.

The skies over Sydney are expected to turn a deep red by late morning, with weather experts warning anyone with asthma or other respiratory problems to stay indoors.

'The dust isn't far away. We're currently in the Blue Mountains - the dust storm is situated there right now and it's quickly moving east,' Dean Narramore from the Bureau of Meteorology told Channel Nine on Thursday morning.

'Much of central NSW is covered in dust. We should see that move towards the coast in the coming hour. As we move into late morning hours we should see that dust thicken up and get hazy around the Sydney and coastal parts of NSW.'

The main band was moving slowly over the Great Dividing Range by early Thursday morning.

'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.

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.

'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.'

It's unknown if the weather event will be as severe as the 2009 storm, but 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, 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.

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.</s>In what looks like an out-take from Mad Max, an awe-struck pub owner has captured the moment an insane dust storm “blew away” her outback town.

Olivia Probyn, the manager of the White Cliffs Hotel, in the remote town of White Cliffs in northwest NSW, said one moment the tiny outback community was going about its day, and five minutes later it was cloaked in an eerie blanket of red dust — obscuring everything in sight.

She said it descended on the town unexpectedly yesterday, after locals spotted it brewing in the distance five minutes before it struck.

“It was incredible, everything turned red and it just blew the town away,” she told news.com.au. “It was so thick that I couldn’t even see the corner shop across the road. It was that bad.”

Ms Probyn said it’s the second major dust storm to lash the town this month after another similar occurrence on Melbourne Cup day.

“They don’t hit often, but when they do they hit hard,” she said. “It was spectacular and I didn’t know what to do after.

“Everything was covered in dust and it was getting in through the cracks in the building because it’s quite an old pub, the tiling was covered in thick mud so there was a big clean-up.”

Ms Probyn uploaded dramatic footage of the storm onto Facebook and within hours it had racked up thousands of views from users who left comments expressing shock and gratitude they weren’t caught in the wild storm.

“Yikes!!,” wrote one commenter. “Thank goodness we didn’t have to go through this that night we went to White Cliffs.”

And, if you think this ridiculous weather is reserved for the outback, think again.

Sydney could find itself blanketed by a red haze later this week with the possibility of a dust storm sweeping across NSW.

Forecasters are closely monitoring a system headed towards the state and associated high winds that could pick up masses of loose dust caused by drought conditions.

“If it does happen it could have big impact,” Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Anita Pyne told AAP.

“Dust storms can effect transport and even stop planes from landing.”

The conditions are looking similar to those that led to the Sydney dust storm of September 2009, which blanketed Sydney as well as the rest of NSW.

There were more than 130 calls for help due to breathing difficulties, re-routed flights and smoke alarms ringing across the city as the wild storm hit nine years ago.

It was so bad, that it inspired Oscar-winning Blade Runner 2049 cinematographer Roger Deakins’ post-apocalyptic, dust-filled version of Las Vegas in the 2017 sci-fi blockbuster.

Bureau of Meteorology weather services manager Jane Golding told ABC the chances of a dust storm forming in Sydney this week were “pretty high”.

A cold front which moved through South Australia yesterday, along with a low pressure trough over New South Wales, is responsible for the current storm threat.

However, whether a storm forms in Sydney depends on the strength of the winds.

It comes just two weeks after drought-hit western NSW farmers had to contend with a horrendous dust storm rolling across the region.

Walls of dust descended on November 8 ahead of thunderstorms which brought between five and 15mm of rain, providing some relief for graziers but well short of drought-breaking falls.</s>SYDNEY'S sky is beginning to change colour as a thick line of dust - which is "the size of Tasmania" and stretches almost the entire length of NSW - reaches the city.

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.

A line of dust up more than 500km long can be seen from the Victorian border, through Canberra and up to Queensland.

"It's a huge system," Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Anita Pyne told AAP. "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."

It was not uncommon for inland parts of NSW to experience small-scale dust storms, but one this size was "unusual".

"It's unusual for dust events to happen on the coast because we're so much further away from that dust over the western NSW basin and we've got the Great Dividing Range in the way," she said.

It's expected the dust will keep sweeping east and may not clear the coast until Friday.

A public health warning has been put in place as the storm bears down on Sydney and Canberra today.

Forecasters have told news.com.au the sky is filling with dust in parts of Sydney, the Central Coast and Illawarra.

Delays have now hit flights in and out of the city.

A spokesman for Sydney Airport tweeted: "Due to weather conditions, single runway operations are currently in effect. International and Domestic terminals are experiencing some flight delays. Please contact your airline for more information."

However the main band of thicker dust is still on the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range and the dust is expected to gradually thicken over Sydney in the next few hours.

Ms Pyne told news.com.au the peak of the storm would hit Sydney early this afternoon - and there is already a "red haze" effect in Canberra.

She said it was still unknown how severe the storm in Sydney will be, but added she couldn't rule out a "major event" like the city's spectacular 2009 dust storm.

"It's going to be very windy and unpleasant later today, but the system is going to be moving east into the ocean and clearing overnight," she said.

"There is already a red sky effect in Canberra this morning, with potential for showers today, which could potentially clear the air."

Forecasters told The Australian the massive storm has now swelled to "the size of Tasmania".

NSW Health has issued a warning ahead of the Sydney storm's peak later today.

Director of Environmental Health Dr Richard Broome said it was especially important for children, older persons, and people with chronic respiratory and cardiovascular conditions such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema and heart disease to limit their time outside and not engage in vigorous exercise during a dust storm.

"If possible, stay in airconditioned premises where filtration systems can help to reduce dust particles in the air," Dr Broome said.

"Dust may aggravate existing heart and lung conditions and cause symptoms like eye irritation and cough.

"Symptoms can occur for several days after dust is inhaled, so people with the chronic conditions need to be vigilant with their treatment programs.

"People with asthma or a lung condition who develop symptoms such as shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing, should follow their Asthma or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Action Plan."

Forecasters are closely monitoring a system headed towards the state and associated high winds that could pick up masses of loose dust caused by drought conditions.

"The strong winds associated with this dry soil, with a lack of vegetation, are the perfect conditions to pick up the dust, lift it up into the atmosphere and bring it east with the winds," Ms Pyne said.

"If it does happen it could have big impact. Dust storms can affect transport and even stop planes from landing."

An Airservices Australia spokesman 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. Parts of the state have already experienced dust storms this week with Griffith in southwest NSW covered by dust on Tuesday.

It's unknown if the weather event will be as severe as the 2009 Sydney dust storm but warnings will be issued if that is the case.

"We really have to wait and see," Ms Pyne said.

Strong winds will cause severe fire danger on Thursday for the Greater Hunter Region and increase the danger in the Sydney and Illawarra area.

It comes after an awe-struck pub owner captured the moment an insane dust storm "blew away" her outback town on Tuesday.

Olivia Probyn, the manager of the White Cliffs Hotel, in the remote town of White Cliffs in northwest NSW, said one moment the tiny outback community was going about its day, and five minutes later it was cloaked in an eerie blanket of red dust - obscuring everything in sight.

She said it descended on the town unexpectedly yesterday, after locals spotted it brewing in the distance five minutes before it struck.

"It was incredible, everything turned red and it just blew the town away," she told news.com.au. "It was so thick that I couldn't even see the corner shop across the road. It was that bad."

Ms Probyn said it's the second major dust storm to lash the town this month after another similar occurrence on Melbourne Cup day.

"They don't hit often, but when they do they hit hard," she said. "It was spectacular and I didn't know what to do after.

"Everything was covered in dust and it was getting in through the cracks in the building because it's quite an old pub, the tiling was covered in thick mud so there was a big clean-up."

Ms Probyn uploaded dramatic footage of the storm onto Facebook and within hours it had racked up thousands of views from users who left comments expressing shock and gratitude they weren't caught in the wild storm.

"Yikes!!," wrote one commenter. "Thank goodness we didn't have to go through this that night we went to White Cliffs."

And, if you think this ridiculous weather is reserved for the outback, think again.

Sydney could find itself blanketed by a red haze later this week with the possibility of a dust storm sweeping across NSW.

Forecasters are closely monitoring a system headed towards the state and associated high winds that could pick up masses of loose dust caused by drought conditions.

The conditions are looking similar to those that led to the Sydney dust storm of September 2009, which blanketed Sydney as well as the rest of NSW.

There were more than 130 calls for help due to breathing difficulties, re-routed flights and smoke alarms ringing across the city as the wild storm hit nine years ago.

It was so bad, that it inspired Oscar-winning Blade Runner 2049 cinematographer Roger Deakins' post-apocalyptic, dust-filled version of Las Vegas in the 2017 sci-fi blockbuster.".

A cold front which moved through South Australia yesterday, along with a low pressure trough over New South Wales, is responsible for the current storm threat.

However, whether a storm forms in Sydney depends on the strength of the winds.

Meanwhile, snow is forecast for parts of the Snowy Mountains above 1100 metres. "Everything's happening," Ms Pyne said.

One talkback caller said the sky around the Blue Mountains looked as though there was an eclipse.

"It's just crazy - I've never seen it like this before," he told Sydney's 2GB radio.

"It's getting worse. You can barely see 500m past the valley."

It comes just two weeks after drought-hit western NSW farmers had to contend with a horrendous dust storm rolling across the region.

Walls of dust descended on November 8 ahead of thunderstorms which brought between five and 15mm of rain, providing some relief for graziers but well short of drought-breaking falls.
A 500-kilometre-wide (310 mi) dust storm, that engulfed parts of Australia’s outback, reaches Sydney.