Weather News

Wet and windy in Melbourne

Melbourne residents are having a gloomy end to the weekend as a cold front brings grey skies and gusty showers.

A front is crossing the state today and is due to reach Melbourne this afternoon, bringing fresh winds, showers and possibly thunderstorms. Melbourne could see falls of 5-10 millimetres this afternoon and fresh westerly winds, which may exceed 50km/h at times. This is strong enough to turn umbrellas inside out and justify an afternoon spent indoors watching the Olympics. These winds are generating dangerous surf along the Victorian coast, with seas expected to reach two metres on the bay.

This afternoon's showers will add to what has been a damp start to the month, and the wettest start to winter in 16 years. Rain in Melbourne during June and July totaled 130 millimetres, which was 33 millimetres more than the June-July average.

Elsewhere in Victoria Winds have already started to strengthen with gusts of over 100km/h recorded at Aireys Inlet at midday and many other places in the state's southwest recording gusts in excess of 80km/h. The cold air accompanying this front is also causing showers to fall as snow on the Alps.

A few showers will linger about on Monday morning in the wake of the front, before clearing in the afternoon as a high pressure ridge builds over the state.

Tuesday will bring a pleasant sunny day, with a maximum similar to today. This will allow Melburnians to dry out temporarily, before another cold front approaches on Wednesday.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2012

More breaking news

ABC News
Sydney Morning Herald
National Nine News
News Limited

Strong winds batter TAS

12:01 EST Damaging westerly winds and showers have battered southern and western parts of TAS this weekend as a series of cold fronts crossed the state.