Large hailstones have smashed windscreens and knocked down tree branches in Australia’s capital, with storms expected in Sydney later this afternoon.

Storm cells moving across NSW are likely to produce damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns the storms could cause flash flooding as it hits Newcastle, Gosford, Sydney and Wollongong.

Hail destroying the trees at Parliament House.. poor gardeners pic.twitter.com/bHEES1yhHy

— Tamsin Rose (@tamsinroses) January 20, 2020

Lucky I rode my bike today pic.twitter.com/nV9BaeWoS7

— 💦Hilary 🌈🏳️‍🌈 (@hil_clix_pix) January 20, 2020

Former radio host Tim Shaw tells Deborah Knight the hail in Canberra is almost the size of golf balls and is “shredding trees”.

“Literally the streets of Canberra have become a snowfield. At least every car that I’ve seen… has got a smashed windscreen.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen, in half a century plus, a hailstorm like it.”

Click PLAY below to hear the full interview

Two people have been struck by lightning in the Blue Mountains.

One person, a 16-year-old boy, suffered injuries to his arms and feet and is being transported to hospital in a stable condition.

Image: Twitter/Fiona Willan