There's a severe weather warning for the south-west today.
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Damaging westerly winds, with peak gusts to 90 km/h, are expected to extend further inland over the south-west during Thursday afternoon, while also developing over the eastern ranges and parts of Gippsland.
Wind gusts are expected to ease below 90 km/h over western and central parts of the warning area later on Thursday.
Locations which may be affected include Warrnambool, Portland, Mount Baw Baw, Falls Creek and Mount Hotham.
The strongest gusts since midnight include:
- Wilsons Promontory - 115 km/h at 1:09am,
- Cape Otway - 96 km/h at 3:14am, and
- Mount Hotham 91 km/h at 12:07am
The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
- Move vehicles under cover or away from trees,
- Secure or put away loose items around your house, yard and balcony, and
- Keep clear of fallen power lines.
There's a gale marine wind warning and a sheep graziers alert.
Sheep graziers are warned that cold temperatures, showers and strong westerly winds are expected during Thursday across the south-west.
There is a risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to these conditions.
At 7.30am it was 9.2 degrees in Warrnambool, felt like 2.4 and we've had 6.0mm of rain since 9am yesterday.
There's a very high (near 100%) chance of showers across the south-west, with gusty winds during this afternoon and evening.
Winds west to north-westerly 35 to 50 km/h becoming westerly 30 to 45 km/h in the middle of the day then tending west to northwesterly 20 to 30 km/h in the evening.
Warrnambool is expecting a top of 14 degrees today, Ararat 15, Casterton 14, Mortlake 14, Heywood 14, Hamilton 13, Colac 14, Portland 14, Port Fairy 13, Terang 12 and Camperdown 12.
A cold front over central Victoria will cross the east of the state this evening.
A vigorous and unstable west to southwesterly air stream will become established across Victoria behind the front, with further fronts expected on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Winds will ease during Sunday as a high pressure system over the Bight extends a ridge across Victoria, with the high forecast to be located near the South Australian border by Sunday night.
Wet weather is expected for the next couple of days, Friday rain 12, Saturday showers 13 and Sunday will be a cloudy 14.
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