Ash Bolt
Greater Geelong residents have been warned to prepare for stormy conditions over the next few days, with the warm start to the year coming to an end.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Christie Johnson said after a warm start to 2022, Victoria was set to see wet and windy weather for the rest of the week.
“From Wednesday we’re going to be seeing tropical air from ex-tropical cyclone Seth bringing humid and unstable conditions to Victoria,” she said.
“Widespread thunderstorms are expected on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with the potential for storms to produce severe weather, particularly during the afternoon and evening.
“Heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding is the most likely phenomenon, but we could also see damaging wind gusts and possibly large hail as well.”
Ms Johnson said it was likely the region would see between 10 and 30 millimetres of rain for each of the next three days, with the possibility of up to 80mm per day if heavier rain came.
She also said gusty winds would start to pick up today, with the risk of damaging winds on the Bellarine Peninsula tonight and tomorrow morning.
After a string of 30 degree-plus days since New Year’s Eve, the mercury dropped to 20 in Geelong on Tuesday and Ms Johnson said that would likely continue for the rest of the week.
The bureau is forecasting temperatures will reach 24 degrees today, before reaching 28 tomorrow and Friday.
However Ms Johnson said humidity would start to increase today, with “sticky” conditions expected until the weekend.
“Cooler drier southerly winds will begin to extend across western districts [on Friday] and by Saturday most of the humidity will have contracted away to the east,” she said.
“The good news is most of the severe weather contracts away by the weekend, with a return to settled conditions early next week.”
