BY IAN CROUCH
Thousands of homes across the Lower Hunter are without power this morning after an intense and powerful storm system swept through the region on Monday night.
The storm took authorities and the weather bureau by surprise.
It developing very quickly around Maitland and Cessnock at about 7.30pm and tracked east with heavy rain, lightning and destructive winds reaching gusts of 146 kilometres per hour at Nobbys.
About 50 residents were evacuated from the Wescott Nursing Home at Stockton after part of the roof peeled off.
Around 15,000 homes and businesses remain without power and Ausgrid says many those won't have the lights back on until around 10 o'clock on Tuesday morning
Sharon Fox from the SES says they've been inundated with calls for help.
"We received 285 calls for assistance with a number of large trees coming down in those high winds and homes with roofs peeled off." she said.
The picture below shows part of the roof blown off from the Wescitt Nursing Home. Photo courtesy of Stockton Fire & Rescue.
