Severe weather affects Eden: Cruise ship Viking Sky diverted in Eden

Late on Tuesday, February 13, the hot muggy day featured a sudden snap in weather, with a cold front that swept across the South Coast generating a gusty line of thunderstorms.

By 8pm, a warning was issued by the NSW SES Bega Unit, warning people that severe thunderstorms were likely to produce damaging winds for people around Eden, Cooma, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Griffith and Hay.

In Eden, the weather station at Green Cape recorded wind of 9km per hour at 1.10am to gusts of 50kmh at 5am.

The cold front took temperatures from the 24 degree average of the day before down to 18 degrees, but feeling a lot cooler because of the wind. While lightning lit up the sky, only 4.2mm of rain fell in the 24 hours to 9am Wednesday.

Marine Rescue volunteer member John Steele said the winds and conditions at Twofold Bay were even rougher Wednesday morning, having recorded southwesterly winds gusting at 34 knots (63km per hour) at sunrise.

"Conditions were overcast with leaden skies, moderate seas and a two metre swell from the northeast," he said.

"These conditions were not enjoyed by the Viking Sky and after unsuccessfully attempting to berth in Snug Cove, she withdrew and sailed north."

Mr Steele said he'd observed all of this via the Marine Rescue Eden AIS plot, which tracked the ship's movements.

The Viking Sky was due to visit Eden for her maiden visit for February 14, however according to Port Authority NSW the ship was unable to berth into Snug Cove, due to strong South Westerly winds measured at 30kts with gusts of up to 40 kts at times.

"Port Authority Harbourmaster determined the berthing of the vessel was deemed to be unsafe in those conditions which is why the vessel is now making her way to Sydney," a Port Authority of NSW spokesperson said.

Meanwhile in Victoria wild storms, with catastrophic gusts of wind recorded above 120kmh, damaged hundred of powerlines, leaving more than 220,000 Victorians without power in the morning of February 14, with warnings it may take days if not weeks for the electricity to be fully restored.