Victoria, South Australia, and southern New South Wales (NSW) are all bracing for heavy rain and flash flooding as Australia’s wet summer persists on the east coast. In Victoria, swathes of the state are expected to receive a deluge of rainfall, with totals as high as 150mm to 200mm anticipated during thunderstorms on Sunday and Monday.
In South Australia and southern NSW, residents are also preparing for a major weather event, as the State Emergency Service in South Australia warned of potential heavy rainfall, strong winds, hail, and lightning affecting the state on Saturday night, before moving toward east border districts on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning for severe thunderstorms and flash floods across parts of southern NSW from Saturday evening to Tuesday.
Victoria’s Emergency Management Commissioner, Rick Nugent, highlighted the high likelihood of flash flooding along the state’s already sodden rivers and creeks. He urged residents of flood-prone areas to prepare and be on the lookout for emergency flood warnings, warning against driving through floodwaters due to the high risk of falling tree branches and flash floods.
Meteorologist Michael Efron cautioned that some areas in Victoria’s Mallee and Wimmera districts could see up to 60mm of rain in less than an hour, emphasizing the exceptional amount of moisture present across the state. This heightened risk of flash flooding is of particular concern to the state’s north, including metropolitan Melbourne, between midnight on Sunday and midday on Monday.
Victoria’s State Emergency Service boss Tim Wiebusch expressed concern about the increased flood rescues in 2024, highlighting the need for proactive measures to mitigate the impact of the impending storms. Meanwhile, amidst the ongoing clean-up efforts from recent storms in southeast Queensland and ex-tropical cyclone Jasper in the state’s far north, the repair bill from these back-to-back disasters is expected to exceed A$2 billion (US$1.35 billion).