Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rainfall and Flash Flooding Threaten Victoria Districts

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Severe Weather Warning (IDV21037) for heavy and locally intense rainfall. This is a high-priority renewal alert for residents in the Mallee, Northern Country, Wimmera, and parts of the Central, South West, North Central, and North East Forecast Districts.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad geographic scope across Victoria, specifically targeting:

• Forecast Districts: Mallee, Northern Country, Wimmera, and portions of Central, South West, North Central, and North East.
• Major Locations: Mildura, Horsham, Bendigo, Shepparton, Seymour, Maryborough, Ballarat, Wodonga, and Wangaratta.

What You Should Do

The State Emergency Service (SES) advises residents to take the following precautions:

• Travel Safety: If driving conditions become dangerous, safely pull over away from trees, drains, and low-lying areas. Avoid travel if possible and never enter floodwater.
• Secure Property: Ensure loose outdoor items like umbrellas, trampolines, and outdoor furniture are secured. Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
• Seek Shelter: Stay indoors and away from windows. If caught outdoors, move to a safe indoor location away from drains, creeks, and waterways.
• Hazard Awareness: Stay away from fallen powerlines and assume they are live. In fire-affected areas, be alert for landslides and debris (ash, soil, rocks) in runoff.
• Stay Informed: Monitor river levels and weather updates via the Bureau of Meteorology and VicEmergency platforms.

Expected Conditions

A tropical air mass and an approaching trough are expected to trigger significant rainfall and thunderstorms.

• Heavy Rainfall: Six-hourly rainfall totals between 40 to 60 mm are likely, potentially leading to flash flooding.
• Intense Rainfall: Locally intense falls between 70 to 100 mm over six hours are possible, which may lead to dangerous and life-threatening flash flooding.
• Thunderstorms: Isolated thunderstorms are expected to accompany the rain, particularly on the eastern flank of a low-pressure system.

Timeline

The warning was issued at 4:55 pm local time on Sunday, 1 March 2026. Heavy rainfall is possible starting tonight, with the highest risk for western districts beginning late Sunday evening. The weather system is expected to spread eastwards into central districts through Monday morning.