Geelong’s weekend weather forecast revealed

Wet weather is due to continue across the weekend and into next week, authorities have revealed.

Wet weather is due to continue across the weekend and into next week.

The Bureau of Meteorology forecasted a change of showers in the afternoons on both Saturday and Sunday.

Monday and Tuesday are both due to bring a high risk of showers with the chance of a thunderstorm.

VicEmergency issued a minor flood warning alert on Thursday for the Barwon River downstream of Inverleigh.

River levels were expected to remain above the 2.3m minor flood level through Friday.

SATURDAY: Flood warning issued around Barwon River

Geelong residents have been told to be prepared for further flooding as weather conditions worsen over the weekend.

Vic Emergency has issued a minor flood warning around the Barwon River as flooding continues at Batesford Bridge and into Geelong.

The Barwon River is likely to remain above the minor flood level overnight Monday and into Tuesday.

The river levels peaked at 3.05 metres around 11am last Saturday and is still sitting at 2.88 metres.

Residents should be prepared to act by listening to emergency broadcasts and ensuring family members and neighbours are aware of the flood warnings.

THURSDAY: How flooding could cause pothole repair delays

Surf Coast Shire has suspended its road management plan as it grapples with flood damage, warning capacity to respond to call-outs for routine maintenance will drop.

The road management plan sets service standards for tending roads and other road-related assets including kerbs, footpaths, signs, drainage, bridges and vegetation.

Surf Coast Shire general manager community life Gail Gatt said given the volume of damage and the necessary diversion of resources, the plan would be suspended until November 21.

The suspension began on Wednesday.

Storm damage to Horseshoe Bend Road at Mount Duneed. Picture: Surf Coast Shire

“This means council’s capacity to respond to inquiries and call-outs for issues like potholes and other routine road maintenance will be significantly reduced, and target response times in some cases doubled,” she said.

Council said inspectors were dealing with a significant increase in immediate work reviewing damaged roads, drains, bridges, trees and landslips before being able to resume proactive road inspections.

Since October 13, it had received more than 170 requests to repair road and drainage assets damaged by flooding.

Increased wind during the past weekend led to more than 30 requests to respond to large fallen trees.

“We appreciate people’s understanding and patience as we work through immediate priorities presented by the severe rain and storm events,” Ms Gatt said.

On Monday the City of Greater Geelong announced it suspended its road management plan.

The Bereau of Meteorology is forecasting a very high chance of showers for the Geelong and Surf Coast area on Thursday, with a high chance on Friday.

WEDNESDAY: Vandals unlock flood gates

Victoria Police will conduct extra patrols in Geelong’s north after vandals unlocked flood gates on several Lara streets.

The City of Greater Geelong said gates at Flinders Ave, Rennie St and Windermere Ave had been unlocked, while drivers were spotted ignoring “road closed” signs on Elcho Road.

Prolonged minor flooding along the Barwon River is likely as rain continues to fall across the region, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.

River levels sat at 3.32m on Wednesday afternoon and may reach around 3.5m overnight into Thursday.

A P-plater ignores warnings – and a road closed sign – to drive through flood waters on Barwon Tce. Picture: Shaun Viljoen

City of Greater Geelong Director of City Services Guy Wilson-Browne said drivers were risking everyone’s safety when flood gates were unlocked.

“Water may have receded but the gates are remaining locked in the interests of public safety,” Mr Wilson-Browne said.

“The roads need to be inspected to make sure they’re drivable – for example, ensuring the structural integrity of bridges that have been submerged by fast flowing water.

An alert issued Wednesday afternoon revealed rainfalls of up to 20mm were recorded across the catchment.

“Minor flooding is occurring along the Moorabool River at Batesford Bridge and along the Barwon River at Geelong,” the statement read.

Flood water on the Barwon River Geelong. Picture David Smith.

“Prolonged minor flooding is likely given recent rainfall upstream in the catchment.”

River levels were also reportedly high at Inverleigh.

Residents were advised to stay away from waterways and stormwater drains during and after heavy rain, and to never walk or drive through flooded areas.

Mr Wilson-Browne said the council’s teams would open local roads as soon as they’re deemed safe.

“We know it can be frustrating and time consuming not to be able to follow the most direct route, but we ask that everyone please look after yourselves by finding alternative routes until the roads are back open,” he said.

EARLIER: Barwon River to maintain water level amid more rainfall

The Barwon River will remain at a minor flood level into tomorrow.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Hannah Marsh said the water level is elevated along the Barwon River to Inverleigh as at 2.30pm Tuesday afternoon.

“There is (also) minor flooding at Moorabool,” she said.

“The level is at 2.8m but falling.

“At Geelong, it is also falling. It is still within a minor flood level, sitting at 2.35m.

“We’re expecting it to remain at this kind of level into tomorrow.”

Ms Marsh said as rain comes from further upstream, the Bureau was expecting minor river rises.

She said it would not be until the next system comes through the region on Sunday-Monday that there would be further rises.

Ms Marsh said residents should stay updated on the Bureau’s website and app, and adhere to the advise of the State Emergency Service.

According to the Bureau’s website, there is rain forecast for Wednesday to Monday.

Wednesday will see a possible 1-4mm of rain, while Thursday has a chance of a thunderstorm.

Earlier

Geelong is bracing for a potential storm following flooding.

The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a hight chance of showers on Tuesday, becoming less likely late in the afternoon and evening.

The high Barwon River lapping the boatsheds on Monday morning. Picture: Alan Barber

There is chance of a thunderstorm.

Between 12.30pm Monday and 6.30am Tuesday, 3.2mm of rain was recorded at the Geelong racecourse site.

Monday

Geelong council has suspended its road-management plan to prioritise the repair of a large number of flood-damaged roads and paths.

The plan, which sets the standards for inspection, maintenance and repair of infrastructure including roads, paths and bridges, will be suspended for three months.

Heavy rainfall nearly two weeks ago caused severe flooding across the region.

The City of Greater Geelong said, as of Friday, there were nearly 500 outstanding requests to fix drainage and 300 requests for potholes created by flooding.

As of Monday morning, the city had received 135 after-hours call-outs related to Friday night’s storm and rain over the weekend.

Inspectors are reviewing bridges and waterway channels before restarting proactive road inspections, which is expected to result in a significant increase in work.

Many footpaths require scraping and cleaning of mud and debris, however, resources are being diverted to higher-priority clean up works.

Flood water on the Barwon River Geelong. Picture David Smith.

Acting chief executive Kaarina Phyland said the road-management plan allowed for temporary suspensions during natural disasters.

“The city will continue to make every effort to comply with the (plan), but expects to be challenged by the set time frames given the situation,” she said.

A plan is being developed to manage outstanding requests for service.

In the 24 hours to 9am Monday, rainfall totals of up to 25mm were recorded along the Barwon River catchment, authorities said.

Further rainfall totals of 15-30mm were forecast for the remainder of Monday into Tuesday.

The Barwon River at Geelong peaked at 3.05m about 11am Sunday.

It was likely to remain above the minor flood level (2.30m) overnight Monday into Tuesday.

Meanwhile, thousands of people in Geelong were left without power after an outage in the early hours of Monday.

A Powercor spokeswoman said a fault happened about 5.55am at the Geelong city zone substation, which cut power to about 14,000 customers.

Power was restored within about 15 minutes, she said.

Crews were patrolling powerlines and were on site at the substation investigating the cause.

Originally published as Geelong’s weekend weather forecast revealed