The wind picks up the sand as Sam Dalton and Sian Murphy from Hawthorn walk along Middle Park beach this morning. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: News Corp Australia
WINTER is coming to Victoria in full force.
After a week of mostly mild conditions, the state is set to be lashed with winds of up to 140km/h today, with rain, hail and snow to follow this evening, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Healesville Sanctuary has closed to visitors because of the high winds.
Sanctuary spokeswoman Judy Robertson said the popular tourist spot was shut today “for the safety of our visitors and animals”.
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Buses have also replaced trains on the Belgrave line from Upper Ferntree Gully to Belgrave after a tree fell on the track.
The mercury is forecast to plummet into the single figures in Melbourne this afternoon after briefly hitting a top of 17C about midday.
Severe wind warnings have been issued across the state, with destructive gusts of up to 140km/h expected in the Grampians, alpine areas and the hills surrounding Melbourne, with Melbourne city likely to experience damaging winds of up to 110km/h.
The SES is advising people across the state to prepare for the wild winds by moving their cars under cover or away from trees, securing loose items around their homes and keeping clear of fallen power lines.
Bureau forecaster Phil King told the Herald Sun about 6.30am that gusts had already reached 120km/h in Mt William in the Grampians, almost 100km/h at Airey’s Inlet and up to 70km/h in the metropolitan area.
Mr King said the winds would slowly die down as a cold front moved through the state, bringing with it a band of rain, hail, snow and icy temperatures.
He said the front was forecast to hit the state’s southwest about midday, Melbourne and the state’s centre this afternoon, and the east tonight.
“We’re likely to see snow down to lower levels in the Grampians, Otways, Ballarat region, the hills around Melbourne and of course the alpine areas after that front,” Mr King said.
“We could be getting snow this evening.”
Mr King said the temperature in Melbourne was forecast to noticeably drop to 9C about 4pm after reaching a pleasant high of 17C.
“We’ve had mild conditions for five days now — we had 14C in Melbourne overnight, which is the average maximum daytime temperature for this time of year,” he said.
“But by the time people will be going home today, it will feel like 1C with the wind.”
A top of 11C is expected in Melbourne tomorrow, rising to 13C on Saturday with strong winds forecast to clear later that day.
Mr King said the temperature would then gradually rise, reaching 14C on Sunday and about 16C on Monday and Tuesday.
samantha.landy@news.com.au
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