A severe thunderstorm warning for the Riverina, South West Slopes and Central West Slopes and Plains weather districts was released by the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) shortly after 6am.

The region should batten down the hatches as heavy storms with damaging winds and rain that may lead to flash flooding moves across the state, the BoM advised.

Wagga, Griffith, West Wyalong, Termora, Young and Cowra are particularly likely to be hit by the wet weather.

Monday forecast

“A trough extending from western Queensland to the northern inland of New South Wales is deepening, as a low pressure system develops within the trough in the far north west of the state,” the BoM’s Monday morning forecast said.

“This system will generate widespread rain in the southeast during the day, and showers and thunderstorms elsewhere. Weather will improve on Tuesday as the low moves rapidly towards New Zealand and a ridge extends from the Bight across New South Wales.”

Thunderstorms are predicted for the morning and, particularly in the north east, while temperatures are set to reach between 17 and 25 across the region.

Rainfall at 7.30am

The wet weather won’t be here for long, however, with clearing and sunny days forecast for the rest of the week before temperatures soar to a predicted 33 degrees in parts of the Riverina at the weekend.