UPDATE:
Thousands of people are without power across the North West after the storms swept through on Monday afternoon.
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Essential Energy said it has recorded outages in the Somerton and Bective area with 253 customers losing power, as well as the Attunga and Garthowan areas where 478 properties are in the dark.
More than 1300 homes in the Manilla area are impacted by power outages, as well as hundreds in the Piallaway and Mullaley areas, as crew investigate where the problems are.
About 350 customers are without power in the Walcha area, while more than 1100 homes have lost power in the Werris Creek and Quipolly areas.
Upwards of 1300 homes are in the dark in the Narrabri area too, while more than 960 customers have an outage in the Tingha area.
Essential Energy said all disruptions are unplanned outages and it has crews investigating, but there is no timeline as to when power will be restored.
Manilla Road at Attunga has reopened after a tree fell on the bridge but crews are working to repair powerlines that have fallen nearby.
Garthowan Road at Attunga is closed while Essential Energy crews repair the damaged lines.
Live Traffic NSW said the road would remain closed until Monday night.
Tamworth Regional Council said Evans Street near Goonan Street in Westdale; Barry Road at Hanging Rock; and Lindsay Gap Road have all reopened.
Crews have reported large tree limbs have fallen across Kia Ora Lane between the New England Highway and Calala-Ascot Lane.
![Flash flooding on the New England Highway at Willow Tree on Monday afternoon. Picture supplied to the Leader Flash flooding on the New England Highway at Willow Tree on Monday afternoon. Picture supplied to the Leader](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/3FRrb3AuBjKJGNhBeTSDxy/43839239-afd8-4a71-9469-9f506674b8d7.jpg/r0_0_1280_720_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
EARLIER:
Flash flooding is causing havoc on the New England Highway south of Tamworth after storms battered the region.
Locals said more than a foot of water covered parts of the highway in Willow Tree as a severe storm swept through on Monday afternoon.
Wild winds brought down several trees and many drivers were forced to pull over because of the flooding on the road, and the low visibility.
The drains were no match for the heavy rain with some abandoning their cars on the side of the road as the storm hit.
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Tamworth has recorded almost 24mm of rain since 9am on Monday, with wind gusts of up to 72km per hour recorded just after lunch.
The Bureau of Meteorology said Gunnedah Airport recorded a wind gust of 89km per hour just before 1.30pm - the second strongest in the state today after Sydney Airport which saw 115km hour gusts this morning.
The Bureau also said Murrurundi recorded 39mm of rain in one hour to 2pm.
A severe weather warning is in place for much of the New England North West after heavy rain lashed many areas, and hail was reported in towns like Narrabri.
Live Traffic said traffic was affected in both directions at Wallabadah after a tree fell over the New England Highway.
In Tamworth, council said the afternoon's intense and sudden storm has brought trees and limbs down on local roads with crews deployed to multiple reports damage.
"All drivers are asked to please slow down and take care," a council spokeswoman said.
"Reports of roads being affected are coming in and staff are en-route, however it may take some time to get equipment/plant on site."
As of 2.45pm, council said two roads are closed to traffic due to fallen trees or large tree limbs crossing the road. One was Barry Road at Hanging Rock, and Kia Ora Lane between the New England Highway and Calala-Ascot Lane.
The spokeswoman said there is a report of a tree falling over a bridge on the Manilla Road at Attunga.
She also said there is a report of bunting having blown from a construction fence and impeding traffic at Evans Street, near Goonan Street, in Westdale.
Crews have already removed a tree that had fallen on Lindsay Gap Road.
More to come.
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