After dust storms rampages in Sydney, the same thing has smothered New South Wales and southern Queensland, pushing air pollution levels to 1500 times their normal levels - the highest on record.  Towns across far west NSW were yesterday hit with strong winds and low visibility, and dust swept up from those areas crossed through the state, blanketing Sydney and Brisbane today.  

Dr John Leys, principal research scientist with the NSW Department of Climate Change and Water, said initial estimates showed the dust plume stretched 600km along the NSW coast from Sydney to the Queensland border and Brisbane this morning, dumping up to 75,000 tonnes of dust per hour into the Tasman Sea.

 
Chris Eiser, manager of atmospheric science at the department, said measurements taken in Sydney today showed the highest level of particle concentration on record. A normal day would see around 10 micrograms of particles per cubic metre of air and a bushfire might generate 500 micrograms.  Levels today soared to 15,400 micrograms per cubic metre of air at one location.

- During a dust storm, that's when we get our highest levels historically and this is the highest we've measured in Sydney, - Mr Eiser said. Residents of Sydney and parts of NSW including Moree and Dubbo awoke to scenes likened to "Armageddon", with limited visibility and orange skies.

Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts said the good news was a change in weather was expected to lead to clearer conditions tomorrow. He said it was hoped water-bombing choppers would be back in the air to battle fires caused by the continuation of hot, dry, windy conditions.