Thunderstorm asthma risk rises, rain drops temperatures in Melbourne

THE risk of thunderstorm asthma has climbed for most of the state while rain has swept across the metro area.

A pedestrian walks over the North Wharf bridge as storm clouds gather this morning. Picture: Ian Currie

THE thunderstorm asthma risk has been raised to moderate across large parts of Victoria.

Today’s warning includes Melbourne’s forecast district, Central, as well as the North East, Northern Country, South West and North Central.

Melbourne could get a bit more rain this afternoon and a chance thunderstorm, but it will clear into the evening.

More than 11mm was recorded on Phillip Island with 4.6mm in the west around Laverton.

The earlier downpour pushed temperatures down from 24C at 8am to below 20C a few hours later.

Melburnians are embracing the cool change after the temperature only dropped to 22.5C at about 2am overnight, but by 6am was already back to 26C.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Michael Efron said it was a “really warm night” but it wasn’t a record breaker with October 13, 1977 getting down to 24.1C.

“It was a result of a persistent northerly wind and extensive cloud cover,” Mr Efron said.

“Today’s cover will be warm and humid conditions ahead.”

Tom Dutton from Clifton Hill takes his dog Sonny for a swim at Mentone dog beach Picture: Alex Coppel.

A track rider holds tight another horse while cantering along the foreshore during a training session at Balnarring Beach. Picture: Michael Dodge

Most of the rain was in the west of the state. Ballarat had 8mm of rainfall this morning, while Cape Otway was drenched with 15mm and Horsham 13mm.

FEELS LIKE SUMMER AS TEMPERATURES HIT 30C

WHAT IS THUNDERSTORM ASTHMA?

It’s good news for those who struggled to sleep last night, today’s temperature will drop to 13C about 9pm.

Yet thousands of Melburnians flocked to the beach yesterday for the hottest day in seven months.

Melbourne baked as it hit a top of 30.9C just after 4pm yesterday afternoon, 10C above the average October maximum.

Temperatures also spiked along the Murray River, with both Mildura and Swan Hill reaching a sizzling 34C.

Tomorrow and Friday will both drop to a cloudy 17C with a chance of showers to fall.

Saturday will be a cool 17C with Sunday topping 18C and about 2mm of rain could fall.

The weather will start to heat up again on Monday as it hits 20C before rising to 21C on Tuesday.

The sun will be shining again on Wednesday as the mercury lifts to 27C.