Weather News

Damaging winds on their way to SA, VIC and TAS

Rob Sharpe, Monday May 4, 2015 - 12:16 AEST

The strongest front since last year is about to tear across Australia's southeast, with wind gusts in excess of 100km/h.

A cold front is currently affecting the south coast of Western Australia. Overnight wind gusts reached as high as 107km/h at Cape Leeuwin, giving an indication of what is on its way to SA, VIC and TAS as the front and low surge towards the southeast.

Winds will steadily increase in South Australia today ahead of the system. The dry and warm northerly winds have prompted the authorities to issue a Fire Weather Warning for a few districts.

The front and associated low pressure system will show their true strength tonight and tomorrow as they bring the strongest winds in the south of the country since last year.

In South Australia peak winds are likely to occur in the early hours of the morning, with gusts in excess of 100km/h likely in the Lower Eyre Peninsula and a good chance for other coastal areas spreading to the Lower South East. Even in Adelaide wind gusts should reach around 80km/h, possibly exceeding 90km/h in the hills.

In Victoria winds winds will pick up today and tonight, but the worst winds will be seeing trees fall when the sun is up on Tuesday. Winds are likely to reach 70-90km/h across the South West and Central, including Melbourne, with gusts reaching as high as 110km/h about Mornington Peninsula, Port Philip Bay, the Otways and other elevated and exposed coastal areas. The risk of damaging wind gusts will continue until part way through the evening.

Tasmania is likely to see the worst winds in all of Australia. The deep low pressure system is likely to pass just to the south of the state on Tuesday evening, with winds steadily increasing until that time. Western districts should see widespread wind gusts reaching 75-95km/h, with the risk of gusts in excess of 110km/h. In the most exposed locations, such as Cape Grim and Maatsuyker Island, gusts are likely to peak close to 130-140km/h.

From Wednesday conditions will be somewhat calmer, but there will be a series of fronts crossing the southeast during this week. TAS will face the strongest wind gusts from other fronts this week, with damaging wind gusts above 90km/h only a chance for exposed locations in SA and VIC.

- Weatherzone

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