By Najma Sambul, Eliza Sum and Lachlan Abbott
Victoria is set to shiver through its coldest Easter in eight decades as a wintry blast brings colder-than-average temperatures, a high chance of rain and even snow over the long weekend.
After a hazy but sunny end to the working week on Thursday, with temperatures hitting a top of 26 degrees at lunchtime, rain and thunderstorms began to roll in during the evening.
Wet and windy conditions will persist across the four-day break, with a 95 per cent chance of rain on Good Friday and a forecast top of 21 degrees.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a flood watch for much of Melbourne’s south-east on Thursday, with heavy rainfall potentially causing minor to moderate flooding in the Yarra River, Bunyip River and Dandenong Creek catchments from Friday evening.
The temperature in Melbourne will continue to drop over Saturday and Easter Sunday, which has a forecast maximum of just 14 degrees.
Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said the city was set for its coldest Easter Sunday in 80 years.
“The last time Melbourne had an Easter Sunday at or below 15 degrees was in 1943, when the temperature only climbed to 14.3 degrees,” he said.
Families at Mount Baw Baw’s annual Easter egg hunt could be trawling for chocolate through snow on Sunday, while snowfall is also expected in alpine areas including Mount Buller, Mount Hotham and Falls Creek.
Mount Hotham will shiver through Victoria’s coldest temperatures on Monday, when the mercury will plummet to a chilly -4 degrees, more than two months before Victoria’s alpine resorts herald the official beginning of the snow season on June 10.
The Easter long weekend is also popular among campers, who are bracing for unpleasant conditions.
Senior meteorologist Matthew Thomas, from the Bureau of Meteorology, urged people to rug up and to keep an eye on local conditions if travelling over the long weekend.
“I do urge people to take care of cold air on Sunday,” Thomas said. “We’re looking at quite a cold day on Sunday with temperatures in south Victoria, in particular, significantly below average.
Melbourne is set to shiver through its coldest Easter in 80 years.Credit: Jason South
“We’re going to see some quite decent rainfall over central and eastern Victoria on Friday, including Melbourne with about 15 to 25 millimetres.”
Meanwhile, Mildura is forecast to be the warmest part of the state over the long weekend, with showers and a maximum of 24 degrees forecast on Good Friday.
Sunny skies will return to Melbourne on Tuesday, with a forecast maximum of 18 degrees, before warming up to a pleasant 21 degrees on Wednesday – in time for holidaymakers’ return to work.
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