Showers and wind to deliver a chilly Melbourne Cup Day

IT has been a wet and cold start to Melbourne Cup Day, but will the rain stick around for the big race? See forecast.

THE heavens have opened up as Melburnians giddy up for one of the coldest Melbourne Cup in more than a decade.

Racegoers will shiver through a cool top of 16C with 2.4mm of rain having already fallen in the city.

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It's a wet start to the Melbourne Cup.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Rod Dickson said showers would continue this morning before clearing for a mostly cloudy day.

“After about 10-11am, you won’t need an umbrella,” he said.

“We are a day late and a buck short of a good day. We should have made the race Wednesday.”

It’s clear skies for the big race at 3pm for the 3200m dash for the $6 million prize.

Sky Racing Andrew Bensley told 3AW a few millimetres had fallen already but it won’t impact the track.

“It is going to clear now,” he said.

“While it remains cool and overcast, there is not going to be anymore rain expected over Flemington now. The track has come up as a good three and it is similar to Saturday. There won’t be any dramatic change given that little bit of rain we’ve had this morning.”

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Punters brave the wet weather for an early start. Picture: Jay Town

You might need an umbrella at Flemington today. Picture: Jay Town

The second coldest first Tuesday in November was in 2006 when the temperature hit 15.8C.

But the coolest Cup Day ever recorded was in 1913 when maximum struggled to reach 11C and showers and hail fell.
It comes as November is shaping up to be the coldest in 24 years, with temperatures five to 10 degrees below the average.

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A strong wind warning is in place for central and east Gippsland coasts.

The temperature won’t heat up until Oaks Day on Thursday, which has a forecast top of 21C with patchy fog.

The mercury will hit 24C on Friday and Stakes Day will see a sunny 25C.

Sunday will be 27C and it expected to signal a change towards warmer spring weather.

Before a glorious sunny top of 29C on Monday to bring in the working week.