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A teenager will face court after being charged over the death of a 12-year-old boy in a crash on the NSW south coast.

A Holden Barina, with the accused 17-year-old allegedly behind the wheel, struck a traffic light at Towradgi, north of Wollongong, in the early hours of Tuesday.

Officers at the nearby Corrimal Police Station heard the impact and responded immediately but did not find anyone in the wrecked car.

About 30 minutes later, emergency services were called to a home in Balgownie in response to reports a 12-year-old boy had significant injuries.

He was treated by paramedics and transferred to Wollongong Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A crime scene was established at the home and an investigation by detectives traced links between the crash and the boy's death, police say.

The accused teen was arrested at Goulburn, on the NSW southern tablelands, on Friday evening.

He has been charged with six offences including dangerous driving occasioning death, failing to stop and render assistance and driving while unlicensed.

He was refused bail by police and scheduled to appear at a children's court on Saturday.

Detective Acting Inspector Jason Hogan told reporters on Tuesday the 12-year-old was dropped off at the home of a friend who ultimately called police.

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A significant band of rain is bringing heavy showers, thunderstorms and strong gusts across NSW as widespread flooding continues and forecasters warn of possible landslides.

A trough tracking over NSW towards the coast was developing on Saturday and was likely to bring intense rainfall and the risk of flash flooding, the Bureau of Meteorology's Helen Kirkup said on Friday.

Six hourly rainfall totals of 30-50 millimetres are predicted in the Central Tablelands, the Hunter region and metropolitan Sydney, with isolated areas expected to receive up to 70mm.

After a soggy week in NSW, heavy falls on already saturated grounds would heighten the risk of landslides and debris falling across roads, Ms Kirkup said.

While the worst of the weather is forecast for Sydney, the Hunter region and the Central Tablelands, other areas can also expect rain.

The system is expected to blanket the state, with widespread showers forecast from the mid-north coast to the southern end of the state.

Damaging winds are forecast through the Sydney metropolitan and Illawarra coast on Saturday through to Sunday morning, with winds of 60-70km/h and peak gusts of more than 90km/h.

The State Emergency Operations Centre opened at Homebush, NSW Police said on Saturday, so experts could monitor the situation and co-ordinate a whole-of-government response.

Campers at the Bathurst 1000 have been warned of muddy, stormy and potentially dangerous conditions, with heavy falls predicted across Mount Panorama on Saturday and Sunday.

Up to 100mm could fall on the tens of thousands of fans expected to attend, potentially leading to flooding along the Macquarie River in Bathurst.

Free sandbags are available in the town, while volunteers are checking in with residents and tourists camping near the river.

As rain continues to soak much of NSW, and flood peaks flow down already swollen rivers, the bureau has warned of a widespread risk of significant riverine flooding for multiple inland catchments.

Major flooding is occurring along the Macquarie, Darling, Culgoa and Lachlan rivers.

Renewed flooding is a risk at inland and coastal catchments including the Gwydir, Namoi, Macquarie and Belubula rivers, Mandagery Creek, the Lachlan and Bogan rivers, Colo River, Wollombi Brook and Lower Hunter rivers.

State emergency operations controller Peter Cotter asked that the community work with emergency services and follow any directions they were given.

"Those in flood-prone areas are urged to avoid essential travel and drive to the conditions on the roads," he said.

"Please obey road closures and remember, if it's flooded, forget it."

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Nick Kyrgios believes his "heartbreaking" call to pull out of the Japan Open could also have been a smart one by gifting him a restful launch pad for a powerful European finish to his breakthrough season.

Australia's Wimbledon finalist sacrificed a crack at two titles in Tokyo when ominous twinges in his knee persuaded him to pull out just minutes before he was due to take on American Taylor Fritz in Friday's quarter-finals.

It meant he also had to abandon his doubles semi-final alongside his fellow Australian pal Thanasi Kokkinakis, putting an end to what had been a successful week in which a second singles title of the year had looked his for the taking.

Instead, the 27-year-old has had to fly home to Australia to rest his vulnerable left knee which has often caused him problems.

Yet he remains convinced the tough decision could end up working in his favour as he plots a spectacular finish to his 2022 campaign on European hard courts.

"Obviously very disappointing, it's one of my favourite tournaments, I've had great memories here," said Kyrgios, who had the previous day been enthusing about what a tremendous week he'd enjoyed with his team in the Japanese capital.

"But pulling out is the smart option for my body. I've got a couple of events left in the year and I want to do well in them, so I have to be smart."

Kyrgios plans to play the ATP 500 Basel Open at the end of October and has also set his sights on one of the season's big prizes the following week at the Paris Masters in Bercy.

The Canberra maverick has played consistently well in a campaign during which he's begun to fulfil expectations and hasn't apparently been distracted by off-court controversies.

It was capped by his run to the Wimbledon final and a tournament triumph in Washington, and he's adamant there'll be no anti-climactic end to his season.

"I'm expecting some big things from myself for the rest of the year. I don't want to coast and wait until the Australian Open," he'd explained earlier in the week in Tokyo. "I want to stay on the road."

So his season could yet end as it started, with a major doubles triumph alongside Kokkinakis.

The 'Special Ks' won the Australian Open together in January and could lift the end-of-season ATP finals trophy in November if all goes well.

And Kyrgios, not one of life's great trainers, was quick to play down the idea that his withdrawal was a sign of continuing physical vulnerability.

"I know in this case, (pulling out) is probably overloading rather than not being fit enough. I think it's almost being too excited to get on the court and maybe training a little bit too much.

"It's positive but heartbreaking at the same time."

Still, his troublesome knee is likely to remain a problem. "It's been something I've had to deal with my whole career and sometimes it wakes up pretty average.

"And when I was warming up with Thanasi, it just didn't feel ideal."

© AAP 2022