Reports of flash flooding have started coming in after 48 hours of solid rainfall across the state’s South West, putting local emergency services on high alert and pushing local waterways to their limits.
In Warrnambool, Russells Creek has again broken its banks, with water encroaching on yards backing onto the flood plain as the catchment struggles to cope with the relentless deluge.
While the weekend ended on a dry note, the weather took a sharp turn on Monday night as a complex, deep low-pressure system swept across the coast. The front has brought severe weather, localised coastal flooding, and damaging winds, along with heavy downpours.
Official gauges show Warrnambool received a steady 20mm on Tuesday alone, followed by just under 10mm on both Wednesday and Thursday morning, bringing the town’s running total for the week to 40.2mm. The story is identical across the South West, with regional centres recording widespread totals of 35mm to 50mm over the four-day period, leaving local paddocks and catchments thoroughly saturated.
The system’s intensity prompted the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) to issue several active alerts as the front peaked, further compounding the flash flooding risk.
A Coastal Hazard Warning for Abnormally High Tides remains in place for the South West coast, covering Warrnambool, Portland, and Port Fairy. Strong to gale-force west to north-westerly winds have pushed sea levels well above the normal high tide mark, causing emergency services to warn locals away from low-lying coastal spots, beaches, and tidal rivers prone to flooding.
Simultaneously, a Severe Weather Warning for Damaging Winds has lashed southern Victoria, with the coast experiencing average wind speeds of 60 to 70 km/h and localised gusts peaking around 90 km/h.
Primary producers have also been put on high alert following a Warning to Sheep Graziers issued for the South West forecast district. The biting combination of cold temperatures, persistent rain, and powerful winds poses a severe risk to newborn lambs and shorn sheep exposed to the elements.
The Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) continues to advise residents to monitor the VicEmergency app, secure loose outdoor items, and strictly avoid driving or walking through any flash floodwaters or coastal debris.
Residents will need to keep the umbrellas handy for just a little longer. While the worst of the severe wind and tide threats are beginning to ease today, light, patchy showers are forecast to persist through Friday and Saturday morning, driven by remaining westerly winds. Top temperatures will hover around 14°C to 16°C.
For the latest information on flash flooding across the South West, please refer to the Vic Emergency app, and if you are in need of assistance, contact the SES on 132 500
