Australia’s week of wet weather is set to continue, as large parts of Victoria and NSW are being warned to prepare for thunderstorms and wind.
Melbourne could see up to 40mm of rain, as heavy rain sweeps across the city this morning.
Melburnians are being warned to brace for storms on Sunday morning. Scott McNaughton / The Age
Nearly 17mm of rain has already fallen on the city since midnight, according to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), with a trough that brought heavy rain to Adelaide and South Australia on Sunday moving across Victoria today.
The burst of rain could cause flash flooding in parts of Melbourne, including South Melbourne, with residents urged not to drive in floodwaters.
Wind speeds could also reach 40km/h today in Melbourne, while there is a severe weather warning for damaging winds in Victoria’s north-east.
The alpine regions, including Falls Creek and Mount Hotham, could see winds averaging 70km/h, with gusts peaking at about 90km/h this morning.
The forecast has prompted an asthma warning from Victoria’s Acting Chief Health Officer, especially in Victoria’s East Gippsland region, for Sunday.
The warning advises of “a high-risk of epidemic thunderstorm asthma” and sufferers are encouraged to stay indoors and have their medication nearby.
Acting Chief Health Officer Dr Clare Looker said the combination of forecast high grass pollen levels and a certain type of thunderstorm with strong winds means that there is a chance of the serious health issue.
Sydney could face thunderstorms that lead to flash flooding this afternoon. Audrey Richardson
Thunderstorm conditions will be seen in NSW as well, with towns in the Snowy Mountains potentially seeing up to 60mm of rain today, while Wagga Wagga in the Riverina will see 30mm of rain fall, with the potential for a thunderstorm.
A severe weather warning is in place for large parts of the state’s west, including Bourke, Cobar, Griffith and Ivanhoe, with gusts of about 91km/h already being recorded in the region.
The rain will be less intense in Sydney to start the day, but the BOM warns storms could develop this afternoon, which could bring damaging winds and heavy rain.
Sydney could see anywhere between one and nine millimetres of rain today, but any severe storms could cause flash flooding.
A severe storm dumped almost three times more rain than what the Bureau of Meteorology had forecast for Thursday in just a few hours in Queensland. Supplied
South-East Queensland, which has been battered by severe storms for days, is still set to receive heavy rain again, though the falls are less intense than in previous days.
Brisbane could see up to 45mm of rain, with the chance of a thunderstorm this afternoon.
The Sunshine Coast will also be hit by rain and storms, rounding off a wet week for the region.
The area has recorded rainfall totals of 289mm this month, more than three times the October average of 90mm, according to the BOM.