HUNDREDS of homes across Newcastle were without power this morning after a severe electrical storm rattled the region.
An epic lightning show captivated many but the wild weather also caused damage, with NSW State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers and firefighters responding to calls for help.
Hunter SES Capability Unit Commander Mandy Bramble said Cooranbong was the hardest hit, topping the job list at 18 call-outs.
"All of our jobs were storm-related, things like leaking roofs, branches down and blocked drains where the heavy rain isn't able to get away," she said.
"Most people are becoming very self-reliant with things like this, we often get the odd one or two jobs come in the next day [after a storm] because someone wasn't home or elderly people think someone needs us more than them so they wait until the next day.
"But it is what it is, we're here when we're needed."
Newcastle didn't even register with the SES in terms of call-outs, while Wyong had four, Swansea had one, Port Stephens had one, Maitland had 10, Gosford had four and two in Cessnock.
Across the whole zone, which stretches from the Hawkesbury to Nambucca, NSW SES crews responded to 59 jobs in total.
More than 200 residents had no electricity at Teralba from about 6.40pm last night and the "complex" outage was expected to be fixed by about 1.30pm today.
A handful of Glendale customers and 58 at Pelican could go almost 24 hours without power, with Ausgrid suggesting it may not be restored until 6pm tonight.
A blackout affecting 31 people at Buttaba was expected to be fixed by 7.30am this morning.
Ausgrid has tasked extra workers to the Hunter to get power restored to everyone.
A woman and a young boy at Lake Macquarie had a lucky escape when the roof over their heads was torn off by strong winds.
An Ambulance NSW spokesperson told the Newcastle Herald the service tasked crews to the scene at Wyee just after 6pm on February 29 but the pair were not injured.
It's understood the house suffered significant damage.
Parts of Lake Macquarie were battered by storms, which downed trees and powerlines and damaged properties from Cooranbong to Swansea, where SES crews responded to more than a dozen calls for help.
Lightning strikes also wreaked havoc.
A Fire Rescue NSW spokesperson told the Herald crews were called to reports of a fire at a Wangi Wangi property at about 6.30pm, after lightning had struck a switchboard on a house.
SES crews had already responded to eight calls for help at Maitland at about 8pm, as well as a further four at Singleton and one at Port Stephens.
The SES warned residents to avoid downed power lines and trees, to keep clear of flooded creeks and storm drains.
Storm fronts were seen sweeping over Newcastle from about 6.30pm on Thursday, bringing heavy but patchy rain, strong winds, rolling thunder and lightning.
But some were still out having fun for the last day of summer - dozens of young people were seen enjoying the light show from the Merewether baths.
There is a chance of a thunderstorm again this afternoon, March 1, and more widespread rain is set to return tomorrow, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
