A severe thunderstorm warning for damaging winds and heavy rain has been issued for much of south-west Victoria.
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The Bureau Of Meteorology issued the warning at 6am saying a very unstable, warm and humid air mass over the south-west would see increasing thunderstorm activity today, particularly near a slow moving trough.
Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area in the south-west over the next several hours, it said.
Locations which may be impacted include Warrnambool, Portland, Hamilton, Stawell, Ararat and Ballarat.
The State Emergency Service advises that people should:
- If driving conditions are dangerous, safely pull over away from trees, drains, low-lying areas and floodwater. Avoid travel if possible.
- Stay safe by avoiding dangerous hazards, such as floodwater, mud, debris, damaged roads and fallen trees.
- Be aware - heat, fire or recent storms may make trees unstable and more likely to fall when it's windy or wet.
- Check that loose items, such as outdoor settings, umbrellas and trampolines are safely secured. Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
- Stay indoors and away from windows. If outdoors, move to a safe place indoors. Stay away from trees, drains, gutters, creeks and waterways.
- Stay away from fallen power lines - always assume they are live.
- Be aware that in fire affected areas, rainfall run-off into waterways may contain debris such as ash, soil, trees and rocks. Heavy rainfall may also increase the potential for landslides and debris across roads.
- Stay informed: Monitor weather warnings, forecasts and river levels at the Bureau of Meteorology website, and warnings through VicEmergency website/app/hotline.
Today across the south-west will be cloudy with an extremely high chance of showers, becoming less likely this afternoon.
Winds will be north to north-easterly 15 to 20 km/h tending west to north-westerly 20 to 25 km/h in the morning then tending southerly 15 to 20 km/h in the late afternoon.
Top temperature in the south-west are expected to be between 21 and 24 degrees and at 7.30am in Warrnambool it was 19.9 and we've had just 0.4mm of rain since 9am yesterday.
A deep low pressure system near the South Australian coast extends an associated trough across Victoria.
The trough is expected to slowly cross Victoria today as the low moves towards western Bass Strait. On Saturday the low is expected to move south of Tasmania as the trough clears the east of the State with winds tending southerly across Victoria.
This southerly airstream will continue into Sunday as a high pressure ridge extends from the west, with winds tending southeasterly during Monday as an associated high moves southwest of Tasmania.
For the coming days, Warrnambool is expecting a top of 21 on Saturday with a 50 per cent chance of zero to just 2mm of rain and Sunday will be 18 degrees with a 40 per cent chance of between zero and just 1mm of rain, before it warms up mid next week with an expected top of 30 degrees on Wednesday.
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