Victoria will be battered by gale force winds on Friday, with a severe weather warning being issued for most of the state.
Melburnians will face winds of 40km/h on their way to work and can expect conditions to deteriorate through the day, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned.
“It will be windy all day but the strongest will come in the evening, with winds of 90 to 100km/h,” senior forecaster Phil King said.
“We’re starting to get winds of around 85km/h around the Grampians and around Melbourne in the north and about 90km/h or higher in the alpine ranges.”
Mr King said the bureau had forecast a top of 17 degrees for Melbourne on Friday, but it would feel more like 10 degrees because of wind chill.
He said the run of blustery days from the start of the week was a once-a-season event.
“It’s an incredible period; we started with strong winds on Monday and then we had that severe burst on Tuesday … there’s just been no let-up,” Mr King said.
Miserable weather is expected to continue in Melbourne through the weekend, with winds, scattered showers and possible hail forecast for Saturday.
There will be showers, possible hail and a chance of thunderstorms on Sunday.
Mr Kings said 30 to 50 centimetres of rain was expected to fall in Victoria’s alpine regions on Sunday.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds has been issued for the north-east, south-west, central, west, south and East Gippsland forecast districts.
The State Emergency Service has advised Victorians to move vehicles away from trees, secure loose items around their homes and to keep clear of fallen power lines.
