Strong wind gusts are predicted to hit Melbourne later today. Source: News Limited
A STRONG storm front has swept through the city, capping what forecasters said had been a “bizarre” day of weather - even by Melbourne’s standards.
Damaging winds and a brief burst of rain blew through Melbourne from 10pm to midnight, on a day where the temperature reached a muggy 25C just after 6pm.
The mercury still hovered at 20C at 10pm but Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Richard Carlyon said it was expected to drop 5C in an hour as the cold front passed.
Winds reached up to 95km/h in St Kilda, with further gusts of between 75km/h and 95km/h expected overnight.
VicRoads reduced the speed limit to 60km/h on the West Gate Bridge as the storm swept from west to east through Melbourne.
The State Emergency Service responded to 62 calls for help between 3pm and 10pm in the greater metropolitan area.
Fallen trees and minor building damage made up the bulk of their work, SES spokeswoman Kathryn Gould said.
“It’s been fairly minor and it looks like most jobs have been taken care of fairly quickly,” she said.
But more calls for help were expected on Tuesday morning as Melburnians woke from the wild night.
Earlier, Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Scott Williams said Melbourne had been through “a bizarre sort of day” which began coolly before the temperature rose steadily.
Avalon recorded wind gusts of up to 80km/h and Mt Hotham had winds of 91km/h.
South Australia also felt the affect of strong winds with gales of 83km/h measured at Cleve, on the central Eyre Peninsula, on Monday morning.
Winds brought down a large awning over the Cibo coffee shop in Waymouth St, Adelaide leaving it dangling by a thread.
The wild weather also forced the cancellation of the final day of the South Australia’s Asiafest festival.
Mr Carlyon said Tuesday would be a calmer day in Melbourne, with showers forecast for the morning before a fine afternoon with a top of 18C.
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