For emergency assistance during a flood, storm or tsunami, call NSW SES on 132 500   In a life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
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NSW SES
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Warnings

NSW SES warnings use a nationally consistent set of icons from the Australian Warning System (AWS), a national approach to help all people across Australia easily identify the type of hazard and warning level.

NSW SES Warnings

Understand warning levels

There are three levels within the AWS - Advice, Watch and Act and Emergency Warning. For each level, there are a series of clear action statements to guide positive action by the community. These include ‘stay informed’, ‘prepare to evacuate’ and ‘move to higher ground’.

Warnings provide point-in-time information about a hazard that is impacting or is expected to impact communities. 

The NSW SES uses forecasts and flood warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology, flood plans, historical impact data and community-sourced input to develop warning products for NSW communities likely to be impacted by floods, storms, and tsunami.

Australian Warning System advice yellow icons representing flood, storm and tsunami.
Advice

There is a heightened level of threat. Stay up to date as the situation changes.

Australian Warning System watch and act orange icons representing flood and storm
Watch and Act

Conditions are changing and you need to start taking action now to protect you and your family. NSW SES does not issue a Watch and Act level warning for tsunami.

Australian Warning System emergency red icons representing flood, storm and tsunami.
Emergency Warnings

The highest level of warning. You may be in danger and need to take action immediately.

How to read a warning message

NSW SES warnings have three core elements

Location + Hazard

The location and the type of hazard impacting the community.

Action Statement

For each warning level there are a range of action statements to guide protective action by the community. These statements evolve as the warning level increases in severity. (E.g. “Stay informed” at the Advice level, to “Evacuate now” at the Emergency Warning level. As the threat is reduced, the level of warning will decrease accordingly.

The Warning Level

The severity of the natural hazard event based on the consequence to the community.

Accessing the NSW SES warnings

Get updates from the Hazards Near Me App

Hazards Near Me shows current information about local emergencies, including flood, storm, tsunami and bushfire, and advice on what to do to stay safe. 

HazardWatch

HazardWatch allows the community to view warnings on a responsive map and list view. It can be accessed via the NSW SES website or directly from the HazardWatch website. 

Social media

NSW SES warnings are automatically disseminated on relevant regional and local social media pages including Facebook / X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.

Emergency Alert

Emergency Alert is an additional tool providing information by text and voice messaging to landlines and mobile phones. 

Contact the Warnings team

NSW SES Warnings must always be republished in full without any form of alteration. For direct access to the NSW SES API data feed, organisations and community networks should contact the Warnings Team at warnings.capability@ses.nsw.gov.au.

NSW SES Warnings