Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Parts of Melbourne, Victoria

Alert Details

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for heavy rainfall and damaging winds. This alert is of type 'severe_thunderstorm_warning' with alert code IDV21035, and it is in the 'new' phase. It was issued at 2:43 pm on Thursday, 9 April 2026, and remains effective until 6:43 pm on the same day.

Affected Areas

The warning affects Northern and parts of Inner East, Inner, Outer East, and Western Local Warning Areas in Victoria. Specific locations include Gisborne, Daylesford (area west of Gisborne), Craigieburn, Preston, Sunbury, Greensborough, Ringwood, and Lilydale.

What You Should Do

The State Emergency Service advises that if driving conditions are dangerous, safely pull over away from trees, drains, low-lying areas, and floodwater, and avoid travel if possible. Stay safe by avoiding hazards like floodwater, mud, debris, damaged roads, and fallen trees. Secure loose items such as outdoor settings, umbrellas, and trampolines, and move vehicles under cover or away from trees. Stay indoors and away from windows; if outdoors, move to a safe place indoors and stay away from trees, drains, gutters, creeks, and waterways. Stay away from fallen powerlines, assuming they are live, and stay informed by monitoring weather warnings, forecasts, and river levels on the Bureau of Meteorology website and VicEmergency resources.

Expected Conditions

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding and damaging wind gusts. These conditions were detected near Gisborne, Daylesford, and the area west of Gisborne at 2:40 pm, with thunderstorms moving towards the east to southeast.

Timeline

The alert was issued at 2:43 pm on Thursday, 9 April 2026, and is effective until 6:43 pm on the same day. Thunderstorms are forecast to affect Craigieburn, Preston, and Sunbury by 3:10 pm, and Greensborough, Ringwood, and Lilydale by 3:40 pm. The next warning is due by 3:45 pm.