Sydneysiders should be glad it doesn't snow. The city has had enough problems coping with this week's rain.

The 80-millimetre dumping over the CBD in 30 hours triggered transport chaos, sparked an electrical fault that left thousands in the dark and even stopped RiverCat ferries from reaching Parramatta.

The NRMA responded to 1600 calls for help between 6am and 2pm yesterday. That was 500 more than normal.

In the 24 hours to 1pm the Roads and Traffic Authority logged scores of breakdowns, more than 70 accidents, 13 faulty traffic lights and more than a dozen problems caused by flooded roads or fallen branches.

CityRail trains ran up to 20 minutes late. Spokeswoman Jane Lavender explained that passengers huddling under cover on platforms took longer to board trains.

EnergyAustralia confessed that an overflowing downpipe at a Crows Nest substation was to blame for a power failure that left 5200 customers in the dark at 11pm on Tuesday, blacking out parts of Crows Nest and North Sydney. Electricity was not fully restored until midday yesterday.

RiverCat ferries terminated at Rydalmere because water flowing over a weir near Parramatta wharf whipped up turbulence, making it difficult to manoeuvre.

Rain even affected Sydney's law breakers, said police, who explained that crime generally fell in wet weather, probably because criminals stayed home. However, wet weekends often boosted domestic violence.

The Hunter Valley wine harvest stalled yesterday with half the grapes still on the vines.

Chris Barnes, Hunter-based president of the NSW Wine Industry Association, said: "We have had [10 centimetres] in the last 36 hours. It's so wet we can't drive tractors up and down the vine rows. If it continues, the condition of the grapes is going to suffer." Too much rain leads to the dilution of the grapes' flavour and bunch rot.

Mr Barnes said that with the clay soils "turning to butter", wineries might need to hand-pick the rest of the crop.

But on Goolang Creek, north-west of Coffs Harbour, it can't rain enough for Robert Delderfield.

The manager of the Nymboida Canoe Centre has had a torrid time in recent years because there has often not been enough water coming down the creek for canoeing.

Yesterday there were "a couple of hundred megs" flowing down the creek. A megalitre is a million litres. "We still need some heavy stuff," Mr Delderfield said.

In the 24 hours to midday yesterday about 40 millimetres fell over Sydney's water catchment areas.

The weather bureau's Julie Evans said the rain should start clearing today.

On Queensland's Gold Coast hinterland three people have been rescued from a tree swamped by floodwaters. Meanwhile, a search for another man spotted clinging to a bridge above another creek on Tuesday has been called off.

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Australia 'Land of the draught and flooding' how ironic