Cold front crossing Victoria bringing rain and possible hail
A gusty cold front is bringing rain and record lows to most states across Australia this week. Photo: Getty
Temperatures around Melbourne dropped more than five degrees in 90 minutes on Tuesday as a gusty cold front moved across the state.
The cool change is expected to bring heavy rain and possibly hail to the city on Tuesday afternoon, and the weather bureau has issued a road warning for drivers.
ABC weather presenter and meteorologist Nate Byrne said the cold front was going to a “big one”.
“It’s going to bring a bit of a drink, we’re looking at between 8 and 15 millimetres [of rain] for the city,” he said, adding that rain had already started falling in some parts of Melbourne early on Tuesday afternoon.
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The system brought a stark temperature change as it moved across the state.
At Melbourne Airport the temperature dropped from 19.1 degrees at 10am to 13.4 degrees by 11.30am, then down to 10.8 degrees by 1pm.
“Winter is certainly approaching with a good bit of force this morning,” Mr Byrne said on Tuesday.
In Geelong, the mercury fell from 16.8 degrees to 13.1 degrees between 9-9.30am, and had dropped all the way down to 11.6 degrees by 12pm.
“There’s been a dramatic plunge in temperatures right across the Melbourne metro area,” BoM meteorologist Jonathan How said.
“Before the change we did have fairly mild conditions of high teens up to 20 degrees, but as that cool change moved through, temperatures between 6 to 10 degrees, for the most part.”
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The coldest air is expected to move through overnight, when temperatures could fall to as low as 9 or 10 degrees.
Cold south-westerly winds are also expected to kick in later on Tuesday night, and could make the temperature feel as low as 4 or 5 degrees, Mr How said.
On Wednesday, Melbourne is likely to remain partly cloudy and cold, but the bulk of rain and showers should clear during the day.
Wind and sheep grazier warnings
Cold temperatures, rain and strong winds are also expected outside Melbourne as the cool change crosses the state.
The chilly change is expected to bring snow to alpine regions in south-east NSW and north-east Victoria, as well as parts of Tasmania.
Alpine areas could be hit by damaging winds until later on Tuesday afternoon, with Mount Buller recording a wind gust of 85km/h on Tuesday morning.
BoM has issued a sheep grazier warning for the Wimmera, North Central, North East, South West, Central, West and South Gippsland and East Gippsland forecast districts.
Strong marine wind warnings have also been issued for Port Phillip, Western Port, Gippsland Lakes, West Coast, Central Coast, Central Gippsland Coast and the East Gippsland Coast.
For up-to-date weather warnings visit the BOM website.
