Melbourne weather: strong winds to 90km/h on the way to Victoria

DAMAGING winds gusting to 90km/h are set to hit Victoria today with flood watches in the northeast. It’s the latest taste of the wild weather that’s hit Australia in recent days.

HIGH winds have eased for now, but look out — the Melbourne metropolitan area and Gippsland are in for another buffeting from severe winds later today.

A severe weather warning for damaging winds has been issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for the South West, Central, West and South Gippsland and East Gippsland forecast regions.

Damaging winds of 50km/h, gusting as high as 90km/h, are expected in exposed and elevated areas.

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Torrential rain yesterday caught a taxi driver unaware in York St, South Melbourne. Picture: Richard Serong

Um, this isn’t good. Picture: Richard Serong

Luckily a tow truck was on hand. Picture: Richard Serong

Senior forecaster Scott Williams said a low pressure trough linked to a deep low pressure system south of Tasmania will begin crossing the state from this morning, bringing wild weather back to Victoria.

“There’s a bit of a lull in the winds this morning, but don’t think it’s all over, because it should be back again, particularly in coastal parts,” Mr Williams said.

“It’s mainly in coastal parts this afternoon and evening but there are still some pretty strong gusts, towards 100km/h, over mountain areas this morning, and mainly bayside areas of Melbourne that are vulnerable to strong gusts probably from late morning or the middle of the day.”

Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula will be the hardest hit in the metro area, Mr Williams said.

Winds eased early this morning after peaking with a gust of 122km/h at Mt Hotham just after midnight and 107km/h at Wilsons Promontory about 3am.

Showers are expected in Melbourne today, with 5mm to 10mm in the eastern suburbs, but less than five in the city’s north.

Most parts of Victoria got at least some rain during yesterday’s stormy weather, Mr Williams said.

Rainfall in the week to Monday, May 9. Most of the rainfall came on Sunday and Monday. Picture: Courtesy Bureau of Meteorology

Victoria’s rainfall over the same period. Picture: Courtesy Bureau of Meteorology

“This system hasn’t left too many areas untouched. Even the Wimmera and Mallee got some useful falls above 20mm, but the north-east highlands got the heaviest falls, with Mt Buffalo getting more than 200mm,” he said.

A flood watch remains in place for the Mitta Mitta, Kiewa, Ovens, King, Goulburn and Broken river systems.

A minor flood warning has been issued for the Upper Murray River upstream from Lake Hume.

THe river may reach minor flood levels late tonight.

“In most of the other catchments, it’s been so dry that the rain has just soaked in, but we’re still watching them,” he said.

Surfers ride waves at Noarlunga Jetty, south of Adelaide, on Monday. Picture Campbell Brodie.

The State Emergency Service has received almost 500 calls for help in the past 24 hours across Victoria, mostly for fallen trees and minor building damage.

Yesterday’s wild weather, sparked by a low pressure trough that brought moist tropical air across the continent from the Indian Ocean, has caused widespread rain across the northern Western Australia, Northern Territory, inland Queenland, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

A strong low pressure system, which has now moved south of Tasmania, brought heavy rain and high winds to Adelaide, where blackouts affected tens of thousands of homes.

About 1,700 SA houses, mostly in rural areas, are without power this morning.

Surfers took to the waves on normally calm Adelaide beaches on Monday as emergency crews grappled with fallen trees and powerlines and building damage across the Adelaide metropolitan areas.

Little Collins and Elizabeth streets during yesterday’s downpour. Picture: Mike Keating

A lonely runner braves it out at Brighton. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Perfect advertising placement. Picture: Mike Keating

Chivalry isn’t dead. Sydney’s Gilbert Walden saves Katie Skelly from the water in Elizabeth St at noon. Picture: Mike Keating

this weather #Melbourne #melbweather pic.twitter.com/kFf1fhdLMY

— Nathaniel Bane (@natbane) May 9, 2016

A strong low pressure system, which has now moved south of Tasmania, brought heavy rain and high winds to Adelaide, where blackouts affected tens of thousands of homes.

About 1,700 SA houses, mostly in rural areas, are without power this morning.

Surfers took to the waves on normally calm Adelaide beaches on Monday as emergency crews grappled with fallen trees and powerlines and building damage across the Adelaide metropolitan areas.

Winds are expected to ease in Adelaide by this afternoon.

Wide areas of arid central Australia have copped a soaking in recent days.

Tourists watched in wonder on Monday as rainwater cascaded from Uluru.

Heavy rain stretched from the WA Kimberley south-east all the way to Victoria and Tasmania.

The widespread rain has given hope to farmers in the wheat belt stretching from South Australia to southern Queensland, where many farmers sowed their winter crops dry in the hope of a pre-winter downpour.