Severe Storm Warnings Issued Across Eastern Capitals as Cold Front Intensifies

Storm warnings are active for multiple capital cities across Australia’s east and south-east as a severe weather system sweeps across the continent.

Heavy rain, damaging winds, and thunderstorms are forecast to strike Melbourne and eastern Victoria throughout Saturday afternoon as a cold front collides with warm, humid air.

The system is then expected to track further east, affecting Canberra and inland New South Wales before reaching the east coast on Sunday, extending as far north as southern Queensland.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of possible flash flooding in some areas and potentially destructive winds exceeding 125 km/h, capable of toppling large trees and damaging property.

Melbourne and parts of Victoria recorded moderate rainfall and lightning on Saturday morning, with a more intense band of thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon.

“It’s this follow-up band of storms which could pack a punch,” Bureau meteorologist Angus Hines said on Saturday.

The storms are expected to impact Melbourne, parts of Gippsland, the north-eastern ranges, and north-central Victoria, with damaging winds posing the greatest risk.

The risk zone will extend further north through inland New South Wales into the evening — reaching Queensland’s southern interior and the New South Wales coast south of Sydney, around Wollongong and the Illawarra.

Forecasts for these areas include damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and large hailstones.

“We’re expecting some very active storms later today, mid to late afternoon for many areas, and potentially not until evening for storms reaching the east coast,” Hines said.

The focus shifts north on Sunday, with heavy rain and storms expected around Brisbane during the afternoon and early evening.

Severe thunderstorms are most likely for parts of the New South Wales mid-north coast, the northern rivers, parts of the tablelands, and the Hunter region, bringing possible hail, heavy rainfall, flash flooding, and destructive winds exceeding 125 km/h.

Areas that have recorded heightened rainfall over the past fortnight face an elevated flash flood risk, Hines noted.

“If you live in this area, tomorrow is definitely a day you’ll want to keep a watch on the radar to see if any big storms are headed your way,” he said.

A broader area of concern for Sunday stretches from Newcastle, north of Sydney, up to Gympie on the Sunshine Coast.

A severe wind warning also remains in place across the mountains of northern Victoria and southern New South Wales, with wind gusts above 100 km/h recorded on Saturday morning.

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