The bureau says a strong cold front and deep low-pressure system moved through south-east Australia on Monday bringing a band of rain, damaging winds and a drop in temperature. Five states and territories have severe weather warnings for damaging winds as a result.

A severe weather warning has been issued for communities south of Bendigo including Daylesford, Castlemaine, Kyneton and across to Seymour.

Strong winds averaging 40-60 km/h are likely to develop over the warning area late Tuesday, and continue during Wednesday morning.

Gusts of up to 90 km/h are possible, most likely about coastal and elevated parts of the warning area, including metropolitan Melbourne. The strongest gusts are likely to occur during Wednesday morning, and ease below warning thresholds around midday Wednesday.

In Swan Hill this morning, a gust of wind was measured at 69 kilometres per hour, whilst in Bendigo the strongest wind so far has been a gust of 46 kilometres per hour recorded at 11.42am.

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While the main cold front has now moved offshore into the Tasman Sea, it has left a very cold and windy air mass that will remain over the region for the next 24 to 48 hours.

Snow is possible down to 600 to 800 metres for Victoria and NSW, as the system's coldest air moves over the region on Tuesday evening and early Wednesday.

Strong to damaging winds will continue for the rest of Tuesday, although gradually easing in SA into the evening.

Temperatures have dropped significantly with the front as cold air moves up from south of the country. Strong winds have made the 'feels like' temperature much lower.

Wind and showers will ease late Wednesday and into Thursday as a high-pressure system moves in. It will remain cold however, despite some sunshine returning. These calmer conditions will be short-lived, as another cold front moves across the southeast from Friday, with further cold air behind it.

While this system will bring more cold and snowy conditions, it will not be as windy.

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