It wouldn’t be summer in Australia without weather that bafflingly oscillated from scorching heat to torrential downpour, and Victoria has not been left wanting after being pummelled by a ridiculous storm this evening.
According to The Australian, the SES has recorded over 100,000 properties losing power and has responded to over 1,000 callouts. The storms were preceded by a ridiculously abrupt cold change, with Melbourne CBD experiencing a 12-degree drop in temperature in the space of just 10 minutes.
Various parts of the state were hit by hail, flash flooding, and strong winds, with Laverton recording gusts of up to 98km/h and Bendigo, Kilmore Gap, and Wangaratta all recording gusts over 110km/h.
Melbourne residents found themselves battered by hail and torrential rain and photos quickly began popping up on Twitter of a very damp looking city:
Anstey village underwater! Train signals and traffic lights out along Albion Street #melbweather pic.twitter.com/NI8q6N0Xmq
— Emma Barnard (@barnard_em) December 19, 2017
Route 96 @yarratrams trialling the new sEa Class tram #melbweather #Melbourne pic.twitter.com/pNjgoOcHw6
— James Caws (@jmscws) December 19, 2017
https://twitter.com/JustJonoM/status/943052191056588800
https://twitter.com/bergs____/status/943047154167193600
https://twitter.com/emilybwebb/status/943035268298240000
A little bit of rain.#melbweather pic.twitter.com/4sUH3gWAcP
— George Darroch (@georgedarroch) December 19, 2017
Just some light rain at the moment #melbweather #storm pic.twitter.com/690QUhnbdf
— ash penny (@ashpenny28) December 19, 2017
It rained in Collingwood… #urbanwaterfall #mysocksarewet #melbweather pic.twitter.com/sMhu6pqEoT
— Beatrice Cooney (@BeaCooney) December 19, 2017
Hail stone anyone? 😱 #melbweather pic.twitter.com/XxBaeVCvLz
— Coralie Alison (@CoralieAlison) December 19, 2017
Instant car wash! #melbweather pic.twitter.com/FksTPBPiHB
— A Burgar (@Burgarnese) December 19, 2017
What just happened #melbweather pic.twitter.com/TzqzKOEyxB
— Julian Major (@julianmajor) December 19, 2017
This particularly striking video puts you instantly into the viewpoint of someone who very clearly did not expect lightning to strike so bloody close to where they are standing:
Incredible vision of a lightning strike in Wantirna South, as storms rolled through the city tonight. Video: Melanie Zerafa. #melbweather #7News pic.twitter.com/rA8vxLg1Yn
— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) December 19, 2017
The storms have largely cleared the Melbourne area but, as always, check your local BOM listings and don’t drive in adverse weather conditions unless you really, really have to.