Surgical procedures were postponed and patients' evening meals disrupted after a lightning strike caused a power outage at Calvary Hospital in Canberra's north.
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The hospital in Bruce had to switch to its emergency power supply after lightning struck a power pole and disrupted one of two main power feeds to the hospital as storms moved through the ACT about 3pm on Wednesday.
ActewAGL was called to fix the problem and the main power supply was back on about 4.45pm.
Staff and patients heard a loud clap of thunder and lights in parts of the hospital went out briefly until the emergency power supply kicked in.
A hospital spokesman said the outage had affected "quite a lot" of the hospital.
Lights had continued to flicker and non-essential lighting was not working in some areas.
"We've gone into protective mode until full power is restored," he said.
Surgical procedures that were under way would be completed but there would be no new surgeries until power had been fully restored.
Those procedures would be rescheduled.
The spokesman said evening meals could be delayed and staff would have to find some alternatives as hot meals were expected to be replaced by sandwiches.
"Everyone will get a meal but some people won't get the meals they ordered."
The spokesman said the ACT Ambulance Service and Canberra Hospital had been advised that staff were operating in a restricted capacity.
However, the emergency department was still functioning.
The Bureau of Meteorology said the capital and surrounding parts of NSW could experience destructive winds, large hail and heavy rains as a severe thunderstorm warning was issued on Wednesday afternoon.
As wild weather and a tornado battered NSW, domestic and international flights to Sydney were diverted to the capital.
Powerful winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall lashed metropolitan Sydney on Wednesday, causing widespread diversions and delays for the national flight network.
Weatherzone meteorologist Ben McBurneysaid high moisture levels and a low pressure trough brought a "train of storms" which had moved north through Canberra in the early afternoon.
Small storms hovering south of the ACT border were expected to bring more rain in the evening.
About 17 millimetres of rain was recorded near Hindmarsh Drive, 12 millimetres at Woodshed Creek in the territory's north and seven millimetres at Canberra Airport.
"There were reports of small hail, nothing too severe, and lightning, but . . . Canberra missed the worst of it," he said.
Rising temperatures would "dry out" the ACT, with a top of 29 degrees forecast for Thursday and 34 degrees on Friday, Mr McBurney said.
The mercury was tipped to reach 36 degrees on Saturday and 37 degrees on Sunday.
The ACT State Emergency Service had units on standby ready to respond to any callouts.
