Bendigo and surrounds urged to prepare as BOM warns of wild weather ahead

Potential impacts of the incoming storm include significant building damage, fallen trees and branches, extremely dangerous flash flooding, widespread flooding in properties and homes, very dangerous road conditions and hail damage to homes and vehicles.

People are urged to stay indoors and away from windows and to be aware of hazards nearby.

If you cannot shelter indoors, stay well away from trees, drains, low lying areas and floodwater.

If you are driving, you should try to locate a safe place to shelter indoors, and be aware of very dangerous and unpredictable road conditions.

For road closure information, check the VicTraffic website, contact your local council or call VicRoads (13 11 70).

Call Triple Zero (000) in a life threatening emergency.

For severe weather related emergency assistance from the SES, phone 132 500.

UPDATE, 4.35pm: A Watch and Act alert has now been issued, urging residents across central Victoria to prepare to take shelter.

The Bureau of Meteorology has said a very dangerous thunderstorm between Maryborough and Daylesford is likely to produce giant hailstones, heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and destructive winds over the next hour.

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Locations which may be affected include Bendigo, Maryborough, Castlemaine, Kyneton, Daylesford, Birchip and St Arnaud.

Residents are urged to prepare to take shelter and be aware of potential hazards caused by the severe weather.

Hazards include:

What you should do:

If you are driving:

Call Triple Zero (000) in a life threatening emergency.

For severe weather related emergency assistance from the SES, phone 132 500.

The next update is expected by 7.30pm or as the situation changes.

UPDATE, 4.15pm: Residents in Maryborough, Castlemaine, Daylesford and surrounds are urged to prepare as the Bureau of Meteorology issues a storm warning to parts of the state.

A severe thunderstorm is set to hit the central, north central, Wimmera, south-west and northern country forecast districts on Monday afternoon.

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These storms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding, damaging winds and large hailstones over the next few hours.

The State Emergency Service has told residents to be aware of potential hazards including trees down, flash flooding, or possible damage to vehicles.

What you should do:

If you are driving:

You should stay informed by listening to emergency broadcasters and monitoring warnings.

Call Triple Zero (000) in a life threatening emergency.

For severe weather related emergency assistance from the SES, phone 132 500.

The next update is expected by 7pm or as the situation changes.

UPDATE: 1.30pm: Further showers and storms predicted for Bendigo this afternoon could potentially be severe, the Bureau of Meterology has warned.

BOM meteorologist Michael Efron said unusual storms which dumped large volumes of rain in a half-hour period around Bendigo this morning would continue.

"People should be aware that we could see heavy rainfall, large hail and possibly damaging winds with those storms throughout the day today," he said.

OTHER STORIES:

While Bendigo airport recorded 9.4mm between around 7.30 and 8am this morning, at Specimen Hill reservoir the reading was 14mm, while further east at Greytown the storm dropped 24mm.

The storm was very localised with nearby locations recording lighter or no rainfall, including at Heathcote around 5mm, Redesdale 1.4mm and Tallarook , south of Seymour, zero.

Mr Efron said the the unsettled conditions were "more like conditions you'd see in Queensland rather than Victoria".

"There's very humid air, which is helping to generate this thunderstorm activity, but as well as that it's also very warm."

Cooler conditions ahead

After today's top temperature of 33 degrees is reached in Bendigo cooler conditions are set to develop, with a predicted maximum on Tuesday of around 26 degrees, with partial cloud cover and less humidity.

"So a lot more comfortable conditions," Mr Efron said. "There'll be some cloud in the morning then nice and sunny ahead. and then following that it looks pretty settled for the rest of the week and gradually warming up after Wednesday."

Predicted top temperature are Wednesday - 23, Thursday - 27, Friday - 29, Saturday - 32 and Sunday - 34.

EARLIER: Powercor reports its crews are currently working on Bendigo's main Eaglehawk feeder, which is out of action, with supply to 429 affected customers now expected to be restored on or before 4pm.

Up to 1000 households were affected by outages as a result of this morning's storms but the majority have been reconnected with crews out doing "progressive restoration" work.

Citipower's outage map is currently showing lost power at Bendigo, East Bendigo, North Bendigo, Kennington, Long Gully and White Hills, with the initial restoration time of 11am now revised to 4pm.

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Outages at Lockwood South, Sedgwick and Strathfieldsaye have a listed restoration time of 5pm.

With more storm activity expected later in the day, lightning strikes could cause "intermittent feeder trips" and further outages but Powercor anticipates all connections will be restored within the day.

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