High-resolution BoM models showed Lismore was in danger while evacuation order was lifted

Weather forecasting is an inexact science and all meteorologists rely on multiple models as part of their work, but multiple independent sources have questioned why Lismore CBD residents were being told it was safe to be at home on Tuesday evening.

Mark Hardy, a meteorologist and the founder of Weatherzone, said that modelling early on Tuesday evening suggested the northern rivers region of NSW was likely not yet out of the woods.

Weatherzone is a private company that pays for access to the same forecasting models as the BoM.

Thomas Hinterdorfer, an extreme weather chaser who works for Higgins Storm Chasing, confirmed that the Access-C modelling on Tuesday showed heavy rain was expected to fall across parts of the northern rivers overnight.

The incoming member of the NSW upper house for the Greens, and Lismore resident, Sue Higginson, said climate change meant risk calculations needed to be altered in emergency situations.

Most independent and government weather organisations rely on publicly available models coordinated by the World Meteorological Organization, a UN agency.