Melbourne is currently getting battered by a mega storm, with marble sized hail and torrential rain in some parts.
More than five million Greater Melbourne residents have also been advised they ‘may’ want to stay indoors.
A severe thunderstorm warning is already in place for central and southwest parts of Victoria, including Geelong, Lara and Melbourne.
‘The atmosphere remains absolutely primed for further storm activity today as it feels once again very tropical and very humid over the southeast,’ Sky News Weather meteorologist Alison Osborne said.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned that central Victoria, including Melbourne, and the state’s southwest will be inundated with heavy rain, damaging winds and large hail.
More than five million Greater Melbourne residents have been advised to stay indoors, with lightning (pictured) in some areas
Huge pieces of hail have been thundering down across the state, including ones as big as a 50c piece (pictured)
In other parts of Victoria, persistent rain of up to 35mm is predicted on some parts (pictured)
A number of ominous clouds left some Melbourne residents on edge on Friday morning
A severe thunderstorm warning is already in place for central and southwest parts of Victoria, including Geelong, Lara and Melbourne
As much as 35mm of rain could also fall across Melbourne, with the BOM ominously stating ‘heavy falls’ are a real possibility.
‘Prepare to take shelter and be aware of potential hazards caused by the severe weather,’ an alert advised.
‘Hazards include include floodwater, damaged buildings, debris, trees down and fallen powerlines.’
The worst of the storms were expected to begin from midday and continue throughout the afternoon.
Flash flooding has already hit some areas such as Werribee, in Melbourne’s west, and Ballarat.
Some pieces of hail collected by concerned residents were the size of huge marbles (pictured)
The state’s south-west is expected to be hammered by heavy rain, ferocious winds and hail
Melbourne is currently being battered by a mega storm, with marble sized hail and torrential rain in some parts
A rain band seen on the Bureau of Meteorology’s radar on Friday morning. Central Victoria is set to be battered from about midday, the forecast says
There were 5695 AusNet customers, 3917 Powercor customers and 243 Jemena customers suffering blackouts at 9:30am on Friday morning.
Geelong, Cape Otway and the Surf Coast were battered by heavy rain on Thursday evening, with a renewed warning issued on Friday morning.
‘Strong storms have formed on the northern edge of a rain area in western Victoria in a very humid environment and are expected to produce heavy rainfall while moving in an easterly direction,’ the alert said.
‘Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Colac, Lake Bolac, Ballarat and Bacchus Marsh.’
State Emergency Service volunteers received more that 450 calls for help in the six hours to 10:30pm on Thursday, as severe storms caused flash flooding in metropolitan Geelong.
The busiest SES units included South Barwon, Geelong and Sorrento, as homes, buildings and roads were flooded.
The storms come as disaster assistance was announced for Ballarat, East Gippsland, Moorabool and southwest Victorian residents after floods and storms on January 5.
The communities will receive financial support via the Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding.
‘This financial support will provide for the immediate recovery needs for people whose homes or belongings have been impacted by the damaging winds, large hailstones and flash flooding in the central west,’ Federal Emergency Management Minister McKenzie said.
Lightning is seen in Melbourne’s night sky late on Thursday as the city endured a ‘once in a century’ weather event
