SPECTACULAR lightning displays, thunder and heavy rain struck centres from Sydney to Perth last night as a series of cold fronts moved across the continent.

In Sydney, the comparatively heavy falls — 37mm in an hour at Sydney airport from 8.45pm — were greeted with delight by locals who have just lived through thedriest autumn in 39 years.

More rain fell in under two hours than had fallen in the previous nine weeks.

The falls were the heaviest since February. Most rain fell south of Sydney, with the biggest recorded falls at Scarborough, which received 56mm in an hour.

The rains in Sydney were accompanied by electrical disturbances in the upper atmosphere and heavy wind gusts. A peak of 68km/h was experienced on Sydney Harbour at about 9.40pm.

Official wind warnings for NSW coastal waters were issued by the Bureau of Meteorology.

Don White of the consultancy firm Weatherwatch said the majority of the thunderstorms occurred off the coast. He said they were created by a cold front that had brought rain to much of Victoria and southern NSW on Wednesday.

“These falls, up to about 30mm, were on top of similar falls last week and have brought a smile to the faces of long-suffering farmers,” Mr White said.

While the weather is expected to clear in the eastern states today, in Perth heavy showers and windy conditions are forecast throughout the day.

Cape Naturaliste, south of Perth, had winds of 98 km/h at 4pm yesterday, with strong winds continuing throughout the night.

The Bureau of Meteorology issued warnings of severe squalls, thunderstorms and hail overnight.

The rough conditions were caused by a cold front similar to the one on the other side of the continent.

The cold front moving across the West Australian coast last night is expected to bring showery and windy conditions to the southern states of South Australia and Victoria by Sunday night or Monday morning.