Powerful thunderstorms, large hail stones, destructive winds and heavy rain will hit Sydney and Melbourne this week as a cyclone threatens to hit Australia’s north.
The intense and fast-moving storms will reach the southern and eastern parts of the nation on Tuesday, as an upper-level trough moves over the region.
Melbourne will see the cool change at about 11am which could bring wind and hail to large swaths of Victoria.
‘The storms are very fast-moving and will bring damaging winds to most of Victoria on Tuesday morning,’ Weatherzone meteorologist Joel Pippard told Daily Mail Australia.
Powerful thunderstorms, large hail stones, destructive winds and heavy rain will hit Sydney (dark clouds pictured on Monday afternoon) and Melbourne this week
The intense and fast-moving storms (pictured) will reach the southern and eastern parts of the nation on Tuesday
The wild weather is expected to spread to New South Wales on Wednesday afternoon.
‘There will be widespread thunder along the whole eastern half of the state, including Sydney and Canberra,’ Mr Pippard said.
‘The storms will be quite powerful and the region could see giant hailstones, destructive winds and heavy rains.’
Despite the severe conditions, Sydney will remain warm and humid on Tuesday with temperatures of around 30C.
Melbourne will see cooler temperatures of around 20-23C throughout the week.
Meanwhile, the cyclone in the Gulf of Caprentaria near the Northern Territory is gathering speed.
While Mr Pippard said it’s too early to know how strong the wind storm will be, it could reach Australian soil in the coming days.
‘We’re in a more active phase of the monsoon which does bring a higher likelihood of tropical cycles ‘ Mr Pippard said.
‘The cyclone near the Gulf may strengthen and hit land in the Northern Territory over the weekend.’
The wild weather is expected to spread to New South Wales on Wednesday afternoon (flooded streets pictured on Sunday)
The eastern half of Australia could see giant hailstones, destructive winds and heavy rains
The wet forecasts come after northern NSW experienced the ‘wettest week in decades’, according to meteorologists.
NSW received a record-setting rainfall earlier on in the week, with up to 550mm falling across parts of the northern rivers, mid-north coast, Central Coast, Sydney, Blue Mountains and the Illawarra.
Thunderstorm warnings were also in place for Melbourne’s outer east last week, along with parts of the inner east and the city’s north.
The highest rainfall hit Cardinia, south-east of Melbourne, with the area receiving 63mm since 9am on Friday.
Water engulfed the underground carpark of Eastlands Shopping Centre in Ringwood and thousands of homes were left without power.
Source: dailymail UK
