Strong winds at Melbourne Airport delay Tassie flights by more than an hour

Strong winds have caused extensive delays to numerous flights in and out of Tasmania affecting all airlines. See which flights have been affected.

Strong winds grounded planes at Melbourne Airport, delaying numerous Tasmania-bound flights. Picture: Carla Gottgens

TASMANIA-bound flights from Melbourne have been delayed by as much as two hours today because of strong winds in the Victorian capital.

Melbourne Airport was reduced to a single runway from before 6am on Wednesday as a result of the winds, a spokeswoman said, causing delays to many departing flights.

One Jetstar flight from Melbourne to Launceston was almost an hour late while another landed almost two hours behind schedule.

Two Qantas flights arrived in Hobart about an hour behind schedule, while two Hobart-bound Jetstar flights landed more than 90 minutes late.

Two Virgin flights to Launceston and Hobart were delayed by 50 minutes and 40 minutes respectively.

Regional flights were not immune either, with a Rex flight to King Island arriving 45 minutes behind schedule.

A Virgin flight sceduled to land in Launceston at 2.15pm is estimated to be 20 minutes late.

All remaining flights into both major airports are scheduled to arrive on time, but outbound flights are expected to experience delays until at least 4pm.

See the latest flight schedules: HOBART | LAUNCESTON

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Rod Dickson said strong northerly winds and gusts of up to 76km/h had been recorded at Melbourne Airport on Wednesday but it was “nothing too unusual” about the weather for a winter’s day.

The bureau has also issued:

● A severe weather warning for damaging winds during Wednesday afternoon and evening, and again for Thursday night.

● A minor flood warning for the North Esk River basin.

● An initial flood watch for the North-West, North and North-East catchments.

● A warning for damaging north to northwesterly winds averaging 60 to 70km/h with peak gusts in excess of 100km/h likely on Wednesday evening over northern, central, western and eastern Tasmania on Wednesday night.

Widespread rainfall of 20 to 40mm is expected across the North and West of the state on Wednesday. Higher rainfall is likely about elevated sites, with smalled falls forecast for the South-East and East Coast (generally less than 5mm).

A vigorous cold front will cross Tasmania on Wednesday night, then clear to the east early in the morning. Gusty west to northwesterly winds and showers, mainly about the West and North, follow on Thursday and Friday, with another cold front crossing the state on Friday morning.