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Melbourne weather: Roads flooded, homes damaged as thunderstorms roll in

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Torrential rain has caused havoc for commuters with train travellers being asked to delay using the network and a major highway closed due to flooding.

This comes after Melbourne was drenched, roads flooded and homes damaged as thunderstorms and heavy rains rolled over Melbourne on Thursday afternoon. 

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Melbourne's heat followed by downpour

Flood warnings are in place across Victoria as heavy rains lash Melbourne's CBD following the hottest night of the year.

A hot, humid summer's day quickly turned into wild weather as a storm that struck the city at 3pm brought more than 25 millimetres of rain in 30 minutes in some areas as the temperature dropped almost 10 degrees.

A major flood warning has been issued for Elsternwick Creek, Elwood Canal in Melbourne's south-east with residents warned they may need to evacuate.

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A series of storms have also struck holidaymakers on the Mornington and Bellarine peninsulas and in the outer north-west and south-east suburbs of greater Melbourne.

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The temperature was a humid 33.4 degrees at 2.30pm in Melbourne.

The mercury dropped to 28.3 just before the rain hit at 2.57pm, then a further degree in just 10 minutes, bringing it down to 27.1.

By 3.30pm the temperature was down to 25 degrees and 4pm 23.3 degrees.

The weather bureau recorded 11.8 millimetres of rain in Melbourne and 26 millimetres in Elsternwick in about 30 minutes.

VicRoads has issued a warning for wet and slippery roads, with areas experiencing flooding including:

  • West Gate Freeway outbound Kings Way entry ramp
  • Albert Road at Canterbury Road
  • Queens Road between Kings Way and Dandenong Road
  • Dudley Street rail overpass
  • Mickleham Road at the Moonee Ponds Creek
  • Buckley Street at Victoria Street, Footscray
  • York Street, South Melbourne
  • Geelong Road at Gordon Street

An alert has warned motorists to avoid Queens Road between Kings Way and Dandenong Road in St Kilda, with the road underwater in parts.

"Do not drive through flood waters. It is deeper than it looks," said the alert.

VicRoads has also issued alerts to avoid Buckley Street near Victoria Street due to water over the road and Mickleham Road near Moonee Ponds Creek.

An SES spokeswoman said minor flooding in homes had been reported in Caulfield, St Kilda, Port Melbourne, Brighton and Bentleigh.

She said a brokendown vehicle required rescuing after becoming stuck in rising flood waters in Footscray.

The thunderstorms are not forecast to pass until well into the night, meaning those of us working through the holiday period face a wet commute home.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for flash flooding from the thunderstorms.

A threat of lightning delayed inbound and outbound flights at Melbourne Airport as ground crews were pulled from the tarmac.

A spokesman said crews were returning at 3.35pm.

The rain also put a stop to play in the second test between Australia and Pakistan at the MCG.

Melburnians sweated through the warmest night of the year, with the temperatures refusing to dip below 27 degrees.

The rains will not provide relief from the hot and humid conditions.

The temperature is expected to hover around 32 degrees today, and we will have to wait until Friday evening for a cool change to blow through.

graphic

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall from the thunderstorms.

Bureau senior forecaster Beren Bradshaw said between 8 and 25 millimetres of rain is expected, accompanied by winds of up to 35km/h.

Mr Stewart said the high humidity meant it was likely there would be heavy downpours over a short space of time.

The warning has been issued for much of the state, including Mildura, Horsham, Bendigo, Shepparton, Seymour, Maryborough, Ballarat, Geelong, Melbourne, Wodonga and Wangaratta.

The storm also carries a risk of lightning strikes.

But while there is a risk of the lightning strikes causing fires, the fire danger rating for Thursday is very low because the strikes are being accompanied by heavy rainfall.

On Wednesday Melbourne recorded its hottest day of the summer so far, a 38.2 degree scorching peak that was reached shortly before 6pm.

While the city had a windy, baking hot and generally dry day on Wednesday, the south west of the state received sustained rainfall from the system that smashed Uluru on Boxing Day, creating a series of stunning waterfalls on the rock.

Waterfalls stream down Uluru after record rains.

Waterfalls stream down Uluru after record rains. Photo: Parks Australia

A weaker version of the system brought 36.2 millimetres of rain to Portland, and significant falls to Cape Nelson (35.8 mm) and Warrnambool (22.4 mm).

Melbourne, however, received just 1.4 millimetres of rain in the 24 hours to 9am Wednesday. Melbourne's top temperature for the day, and for summer thus far, was recorded at 5.45pm.

Ms Bradshaw said the maximum temperature for the city came later in the day than normal.

"Mostly, we see our maximum about 4pm," she said.

The highest temperature recorded anywhere in the Melbourne metropolitan area was at Avalon, with 39.8 degrees. Hopetoun in the Mallee recorded the state's highest temperature, 40.3 degrees, shortly after 6.30pm.

The unsettled weather also brought gusty winds, with peak gusts of 107km/h at Mount Hotham, 91km/h at Hopetoun, and 87km/h at both Tullamarine and Aireys Inlet.

It was an uncomfortable night for Melburnians as well, with temperatures remaining in the high 20s all evening.