Rain for four days straight: Victoria set for a sodden start to summer
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The calendar says Victoria’s summer starts on Friday – but the weather gods appear to have different ideas with four straight days of rain set to soak the state.
Instead of long hot summer days, the start of the silly season will begin with heavy rainfall, flood warnings and the possibility of thunderstorms.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast four consecutive days of rain, with falls of up to 100 millimetres predicted to soak parts of Victoria on Wednesday.
Meteorologist Christie Johnson told Melbourne radio station 3AW that some parts of Melbourne would receive just 10 to 20 millilitres, but regional areas would bear the brunt of the rain.
“Perhaps out in places like the Dandenongs and Yarra Ranges, the hills to the north-west of the city, and also down along the Surf Coast – particularly the Otways – could see higher falls,” she said.
A flood watch warning has been issued for Gippsland and parts of the north-east and south-west of the state.
A severe weather warning for heavy rainfall, which may lead to flash flooding, and possibly damaging winds is also current around Wilsons Promontory, the Strzelecki Ranges, and parts of the Surf Coast near the Otway Ranges.
Isolated falls of up to 100 millilitres are possible around the Otways.
A separate severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Ouyen and Swan Hill, in Victoria’s north-east.
An overnight deluge left Swan Hill drenched with 85.4 millilitres since 9am on Tuesday.
Looking ahead, the weather bureau is forecasting a 70 per cent chance of rain in Melbourne on Thursday, while there is an 80 per cent chance of rain on Friday and 70 per cent again on Saturday.
“Once the low-pressure system moves into the Tasman Sea tomorrow [Thursday], we’ll see rain pushing into Gippsland,” Johnson said.
Warmer weather will return to Melbourne on Monday and Tuesday with a top of 28 degrees predicted.
Meanwhile, two people have been rescued from a car swept up in floodwaters and others from a home on the NSW south coast.
More heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, large hail and damaging wind gusts are expected to escalate throughout the day and into Thursday.
Nationally, the temperature outlook for Australia this spring and summer is for above-average temperatures, and the strong possibility of a drying El Nino climate driver.
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