“Flash flooding is definitely a possibility with this heavy rainfall,” she said. “However,we’re not really expecting any riverine flooding with this one.”
Bendigo,Seymour,Maryborough,Ballarat,Geelong and Melbourne were among the communities in the warning zone,which extends from close to Stawell in the west to Falls Creek in the east.
“Six-hourly rainfall totals between 30 and 50 millimetres are likely,with isolated falls of 70 millimetres possible,” the weather bureau alert read.
Peak wind gusts of about 90km/h were possible in the central and northeastern ranges from Monday evening.
The weather bureau said the smoke haze that blanketed Melbourne over the Easter weekendwas expected to clearon Monday night or Tuesday when the cold front moved over the city.
The smoke,mostly from planned burns in Melbourne’s outer east,hung over much of the city since Good Friday,and the Environment Protection Authority predicted Melbourne’s air quality would be poor until late on Monday.
The haze reduced the visibility for those at the MCG watchingthe AFL match between Richmond and Sydney on Sunday afternoon.
In the south-west Victorian town of Colac,Jason Schram said the region had received steady rain,although they were bracing for more to come. He said there was heavy traffic through the town on Monday morning with holidaymakers returning early to Melbourne to beat the downpour.
“It’s probably the most traffic I’ve seen coming home on an Easter weekend,” he said. “It’s great for the regions that people are travelling,but not the best weather to be driving home in.”
Schram,who works in weed control in the agriculture sector,said the wet weather would be welcome on local beef and dairy farms. “Everyone around is desperate for a bit of rain,so it’s a relief.”
Storm clouds gather over Port Philip Bay at St Kilda ahead of heavy rain.Credit:Justin McManus
On the coast,Apollo Bay resident Bob Knowles said there had been some intermittent bursts of heavy rain. “We’re not inundated yet,” he said.
At Noojee in West Gippsland,Little Red Duck Cafe manager Crystal Petschack said heavy rain began falling about 4.30pm on Monday,bringing an end to an extended period of dry weather.
“Our water tanks have been almost empty,” she said. “We’ve been pretty excited to hear it was going to rain today.”
Although the rain meant trade would probably be slow at the cafe,Petschack said the week after the Easter weekend was typically quiet anyway.